caught in the act
idiom
: caught while doing something specified
He tried to rob a bank and was caught in the act.
Examples of caught in the act in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
That loophole is needed so that the future can exert an overall pull on the present, without ever being caught in the act of doing it in any particular instance.
—
Zeeya Merali, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2023
She was imprisoned for six months in 1923, having been caught in the act of mailing the offending items.
—Anna Mundow, WSJ, 15 Dec. 2023
Some preserved incredible details: spiders sitting on webs, birds brooding eggs and even two frogs caught in the act of mating.
—Daniel T. Ksepka, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
Some leaders in the country have voiced support for those caught in the act.
—Abdi Latif Dahir, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023
The plume stretched southwest into the Pacific, and was caught in the act by astronaut Jeff Williams on board the International Space Station.
—Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2010
In 1991, Reubens was charged with public masturbation after he allegedly was caught in the act in a Sarasota, Florida, movie theater.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 31 July 2023
But no star has ever been caught in the act of gulping down a planet this way—until now.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 May 2023
Occasionally they get caught in the act, and have to make amends (almost always a minuscule proportion of revenues or profits).
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2022
Zeeya Merali, Discover Magazine, 18 Apr. 2023
She was imprisoned for six months in 1923, having been caught in the act of mailing the offending items.
—Anna Mundow, WSJ, 15 Dec. 2023
Some preserved incredible details: spiders sitting on webs, birds brooding eggs and even two frogs caught in the act of mating.
—Daniel T. Ksepka, Scientific American, 1 Dec. 2023
Some leaders in the country have voiced support for those caught in the act.
—Abdi Latif Dahir, New York Times, 17 Oct. 2023
The plume stretched southwest into the Pacific, and was caught in the act by astronaut Jeff Williams on board the International Space Station.
—Discover Magazine, 8 Nov. 2010
In 1991, Reubens was charged with public masturbation after he allegedly was caught in the act in a Sarasota, Florida, movie theater.
—Kelly Lawler, USA TODAY, 31 July 2023
But no star has ever been caught in the act of gulping down a planet this way—until now.
—Jennifer Ouellette, Ars Technica, 3 May 2023
Occasionally they get caught in the act, and have to make amends (almost always a minuscule proportion of revenues or profits).
—Michael Hiltzik, Los Angeles Times, 17 Feb. 2022
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'caught in the act.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near caught in the act
Cite this Entry
“Caught in the act.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/caught%20in%20the%20act. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share