catch on

verb

caught on; catching on; catches on

intransitive verb

1
: to become aware : learn
also : understand
didn't catch on to what was going on
2
: to become popular
this idea has already caught on

Examples of catch on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web At the half, Nabers had 10 catches on 10 targets for 188 yards and 2 scores. Tom Murphy, Arkansas Online, 20 Sep. 2023 Little bits of lint immediately caught on the fabric, too. Allison Johnson, The Verge, 20 Sep. 2023 Two bears on an Alaska military base raided a Krispy Kreme doughnut van that was stopped outside a convenience store during its delivery route — and the crime was caught on camera. CBS News, 19 Sep. 2023 In June, a bear was spotted wandering around Tampa International Airport, and earlier this month, a three-legged black bear was caught on tape stealing White Claw cans from a family’s fridge. Lizzy Rosenberg, Peoplemag, 18 Sep. 2023 Among many other suits that have been filed against Ye, one includes a paparazzi photographer who is suing Ye for assault, battery, and negligence after he was caught on camera grabbing her phone and throwing it into the street. Byorianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2023 The right-hander’s throwing plans had slowly progressed from playing catch on flat ground a few times a week to throwing on back-to-back days Friday and Saturday. Sam Cohn, Baltimore Sun, 17 Sep. 2023 Keep in Mind The material can easily get caught on jewelry and might snag. Kaitlyn McInnis, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Sep. 2023 The passenger car was going the wrong way when the driver hit a box truck straight on, causing the passenger car to catch on fire. Rae Johnson, The Courier-Journal, 10 Sep. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'catch on.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of catch on was in 1882

Dictionary Entries Near catch on

Cite this Entry

“Catch on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catch%20on. Accessed 1 Oct. 2023.

Kids Definition

catch on

verb
1
: to realize something
they had been teasing me, and I never caught on
2
: to become popular
will the new style catch on

More from Merriam-Webster on catch on

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