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

Synonyms of catch on

• realize
• discover
• see
• get on (to)
• hear
• learn

Examples of catch on in a Sentence

she caught on to the fact that they were planning a surprise party

he finally caught on to the concept of phototaxis

Recent Examples on the Web

Being unmarked and arriving with momentum, Odegaard finds himself in a one-v-one with the goalkeeper again caught on his line. — Jon MacKenzie, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026

Get ahead of the curve and shop these staples before everyone else catches on starting from $6 below. — Kaitlin Clapinski, InStyle, 8 Sep. 2026

All flights were halted at Miami International Airport on Sunday after the Amazon cargo plane overshot its landing and crashed, hitting several cars and catching on fire. — Vinod Sreeharsha, Miami Herald, 8 Sep. 2026

After right fielder Jung Hoo Lee made a sliding catch on Francisco Lindor’s sinking liner, the Giants intentionally walked Soto after Seymour threw two pitches out of the strike zone. — ABC News, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1882, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for catch on

• anton
• argon
• axon
• baronne
• baryon
• baton
• boron
• buisson
• bygone
• capon
• cardon
• chiffon

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