catchup

1 of 4

noun (1)

catch·​up ˈke-chəp How to pronounce catchup (audio) ˈka- How to pronounce catchup (audio)

less common spelling of ketchup

: a seasoned pureed condiment usually made from tomatoes

catch-up

2 of 4

adjective

ˈkach-ˌəp How to pronounce catch-up (audio)
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
education has been caught up in a stultifying mythologyN. M. Pusey
c
: enthrall
the … public was caught up in the car's magicD. 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

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
But starting in 2025, workers aged 60 to 63 can boost annual 401(k) catch-up contributions to $10,000 — or 150% of the catch-up limit — whichever of the two is greater. Kate Dore, Cfp®, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2024 Americans can take steps to shore up their retirement funds by contributing to a company 401(k) plan, Roth or traditional IRA and reviewing catch-up provisions, but Congress also needs to work on strengthening Social Security, experts said. Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 11 Oct. 2024 The worse the apnea is, the more catch-up time may be required. Jeffrey Kluger, TIME, 8 Oct. 2024 There have been a number of studies on how catch-up sleep impacts the body. Kristen Fischer, Health, 9 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for catchup 

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

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of catchup was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near catchup

catch-up

catchup

catch up

Cite this Entry

“Catchup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catchup. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.

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
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