variants
or catch-all
plural catchalls or catch-alls
: something designed or serving to catch, hold, account for, or include miscellaneous items or a wide variety of things
The secret weapon for battling kitchen clutter in this case is a simple tray. … The trays act as catch-alls or places to neatly store anything that gets left out.—
Marie Rossiter
Marie RossiterAfter a period of rapidly rising consumer prices, "inflation" is a catchall for economic woes.—Edward Lotterman
—often used before another nounEdward Lottermana catchall bin
… long COVID, the catchall term for the sometimes debilitating health problems that can last for months or years after even a mild case of COVID-19.—Lauran Neergaard
Lauran NeergaardExamples of catchall in a Sentence
They used the drawer as a catchall for kitchen items.
“The arts” is a catchall for a variety of activities from painting to music.
Recent Examples on the Web
While turning it into a catchall for miscellaneous items is never an effective long-term solution, transforming it into a craftroom or playroom for your kids could have a major impact on your home.
—Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
These bedside tables also quietly infuse the bedroom with some interior design personality by way of their accessories (think decorative table lamps, catchall trays, or high-design alarm clocks).
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
Legal experts in Britain say the law used to arrest Mountbatten-Windsor is a catchall common-law offense, centuries old, that has been used to prosecute all manner of serious abuses of official power when no modern statute fits neatly.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Ayurveda is frequently misunderstood in the West, where it’s often used as a catchall label on products or spa menus to suggest holistic health.
—Annie Daly, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catchall
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Tessa Cooper, Southern Living, 9 Mar. 2026
These bedside tables also quietly infuse the bedroom with some interior design personality by way of their accessories (think decorative table lamps, catchall trays, or high-design alarm clocks).
—Julia Harrison, Architectural Digest, 3 Mar. 2026
Legal experts in Britain say the law used to arrest Mountbatten-Windsor is a catchall common-law offense, centuries old, that has been used to prosecute all manner of serious abuses of official power when no modern statute fits neatly.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 20 Feb. 2026
Ayurveda is frequently misunderstood in the West, where it’s often used as a catchall label on products or spa menus to suggest holistic health.
—Annie Daly, Vogue, 19 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catchall
Cite this Entry
“Catchall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catchall. Accessed 12 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catchall
noun
catch·all
ˈkach-ˌȯl 
ˈkech-
: something to hold a variety of odds and ends
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