: something that holds or includes many different things
They used the drawer as a catchall for kitchen items.
"The arts" is a catchall for a variety of activities from painting to music.
—often used before another nouna catchall phrase/term
Cite this Entry
“Catchall.” Merriam-Webster.com Simple Definition, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/simple/catchall. Accessed 19 Jun. 2026.
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