catchup

1 of 4

noun (1)

catch·​up ˈke-chəp  ˈka- 

less common spelling of ketchup

: a seasoned pureed condiment usually made from tomatoes

catch-up

2 of 4

adjective

ˈkach-ˌəp 

ˈkech-

: intended to catch up to a theoretical norm or a competitor's accomplishments

catch-up

3 of 4

noun (2)

: the act or fact of catching up or trying to catch up (as with a norm or competitor)

had to play catch-up

also : an increase intended to achieve catch-up

catch up

4 of 4

verb

caught up; catching up; catches up

transitive verb

1

a

: to pick up often abruptly

the thief caught the purse up and ran

b

: ensnare, entangle

… the study of education has been caught up in a stultifying mythology …

—N. M. Pusey

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

intransitive verb

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 sense 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 sense 1) for something belatedly

catch up on lost sleep

b

: to acquire belated information

catch up on the news

Synonyms of catchup

Verb

• trap
• tangle

Examples of catchup in a Sentence

Verb

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 on the Web

Adjective

Great for a date or a catch-up with friends. —Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 Apr. 2026

Those 55 and older who aren’t yet on Medicare can add a $1,000 catch-up contribution on top. —Allison Palmer, Kansas City Star, 13 Apr. 2026

Noun

Playing catch-up, Target has built three new distribution hubs in the past four years to replace the capacity third-party partners previously provided. —Aldo Svaldi, Denver Post, 31 May 2026

The quick catch-up in a crowded hallway. —Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 28 May 2026

Verb

Second, while the US was the global leader in this technological revolution, China rapidly caught up to rival US dominance, especially in AI. —Literary Hub, 28 May 2026

The 2024-25 frame was a 53-week season, compared to this year’s standard 52 weeks — every seventh year a 53rd week is added to catch up to the calendar year. —Greg Evans, Deadline, 27 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

Verb

see catch entry 1

First Known Use

Adjective

1879, in the meaning defined above

Noun (2)

1885, in the meaning defined above

Verb

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Kids Definition

catchup

1 of 2

variant of ketchup

catch up

2 of 2 verb

1

: to pick up suddenly or quickly

caught the mouse up by the tail

2

: to go fast enough to get even with someone ahead

trying to catch up with the rest of the class

3

: to bring oneself up to date

have to catch up on my homework

catch up on the news