less common spelling of ketchup
: a seasoned pureed condiment usually made from tomatoes
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Definition of catch-up
: intended to catch up to a theoretical norm or a competitor's accomplishments
First Known Use of catch-up
1945
Definition of catch-up
: the act or fact of catching up or trying to catch up (as with a norm or competitor)
- had to play catch-up
First Known Use of catch-up
1948
catch up
Definition of catch up
1 a
: to pick up often abruptly
- the thief caught the purse up and ran
c
: enthrall
- the … public was caught up in the car's magic
- —D. A. Jedlicka
2
: to provide with the latest information
- catch me up on the news
1 a
: to travel fast enough to overtake an advance party
- The soldier ran to catch up with his unit.
b
: to reach a state of parity (see parity 1) or of being able to cope
- students who miss class have difficulty catching up
2
: to bring about arrest for illicit activities
- the police caught up with the thieves
3 a
: to complete or compensate (see compensate 1) for something belatedly
- catch up on lost sleep
b
: to acquire belated information
- catch up on the news
Examples of catch up in a Sentence
a young idealist who got caught up in the political fanaticism of the times
completely caught up in opera ever since he saw La Traviata
Recent Examples of catch up from the Web
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Dentists were also caught up in the rush to opioids.
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The Kazazis have been caught up in a broader struggle over civil asset forfeiture, a law enforcement practice that allows police to seize and permanently keep cash and other property on the suspicion of wrongdoing.
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Guilty until proven innocent The Kazazis have been caught up in a broader struggle over civil asset forfeiture, a law enforcement practice that allows police to seize and permanently keep cash and other property on the suspicion of wrongdoing.
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With this Tony nomination, you can get caught up in the minutiae of it all.
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Vater was caught up in a re-shipping scam, one of the most prevalent forms of mail fraud.
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But the plans, which also include 1,500 rental housing units, shops and 8 acres of public open space, are caught up in a debate over whether Menlo Park has the infrastructure to deal with the impact, including the need for far more housing.
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Get caught up on what’s going on with everyone’s lives.
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Your ability to get past a problem and not get caught up in the details is renowned.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'catch up.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of catch up
see 1catch
NEW! Time Traveler
First Known Use: 14th century
in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a
See Words from the same yearLearn More about catchup
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Spanish Central: Translation of catchup
Seen and Heard
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