play catch-up
phrase
: to try to reach the same position, score, etc., as a competitor after one has fallen behind
The team fell behind in the second inning and has had to play catch-up ever since.
The company has been trying to play a difficult game of catch-up ever since its competitor introduced the new product.
Examples of play catch-up in a Sentence
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Companies play catch-up While generative AI’s downsides may give some pause, the opposite problem is perhaps more pressing.
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IEEE Spectrum,
12 Sep. 2023
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IEEE Spectrum,
12 Sep. 2023
See All Example Sentences for play catch-up
Cite this Entry
“Play catch-up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/play%20catch-up. Accessed 6 Jul. 2026.
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