1
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
we tried to catch the kitten before she could sneak out the door
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to get
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
you'll catch the flu for sure if you don't get a shot
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3
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
I caught myself just as I was about to step into the freshly poured concrete
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4
as in to secure
to put securely in place or in a desired position
caught back her hair with a barrette
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5
as in to know
to have a clear idea of
I didn't catch the point you were making about our nation's foreign policy
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue
a number of media outlets were caught by the woman's hard-luck story
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7
as in to encounter
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
I'll catch you at the library tomorrow
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8
as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
I looked out the window just in time to catch the neighbor's dog digging up my flower bed
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9
as in to chase
to move fast enough to get even with
despite the suspect's considerable lead, the fleet-footed police officer was able to catch him and make an arrest
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1
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the catch is that you have to come up with the money by tomorrow
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2
as in prize
someone or something unusually desirable
everyone thought the captain of the football team was a real catch
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3
as in haul
the total amount collected or obtained especially at one time
the total catch for our day at the creek was six fish and a crab
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Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of catch
Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025
The big, bruising back carried the ball 19 times for 70 yards and a touchdown and also caught six passes for 59 yards.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
Robert Annis, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
Adam Thielen, while integral for the past two years, is 35 years old and has only two catches for 26 yards since he’s been traded to Minnesota.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catch
Verb
Southwestern’s Jamarei Ashby-Phan (15 carries, 68 yards) and Jamar Johnson (10 carries, 60 yards) led the ground attack, while Nic Cline (Torrey Pines High School) caught two passes for 83 yards, including a 65-yard touchdown.
—Bill Center, San Diego Union-Tribune, 22 Sep. 2025
The big, bruising back carried the ball 19 times for 70 yards and a touchdown and also caught six passes for 59 yards.
—Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 22 Sep. 2025
Noun
There were so many salmon flooding the creek, the bears seemingly only had to stick their massive paws into the water to scoop up another catch.
—Robert Annis, Outside, 23 Sep. 2025
Adam Thielen, while integral for the past two years, is 35 years old and has only two catches for 26 yards since he’s been traded to Minnesota.
—Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch
Verb
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On third-and-9 from the 50, Murray threw a contested pass that receiver Zay Jones couldn’t grab.—
The Athletic NFL Staff,
New York Times,
22 Sep. 2025
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Thomas grabbed her husband’s ashes and some cash before trying to rescue her German shepherd, Storm, her companion of more than six years.—
Luciana Perez Uribe Guinassi,
Charlotte Observer,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Hopefully, Dallas gets a better update than what the injury appeared to be.—
Evan Massey,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Sep. 2025
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The playoff picture should get more clear in Week 5 with some huge showdowns - notably Penn State hosting Oregon and Georgia hosting Alabama.—
Erick Smith,
USA Today,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The traffic itself generally keeps moving rather than fully stopping.—
Eric D. Lawrence,
USA Today,
28 Sep. 2025
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Fighting on the island had stopped, so the soldiers in the picture were not under fire, and the action of raising the flag (there is a movie of it) took all of a few seconds.—
Louis Menand,
New Yorker,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Claiming the top seed and securing a bye would be huge for the Blue Jays in their quest for a World Series.—
Aaliyan Mohammed,
MSNBC Newsweek,
22 Sep. 2025
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Seattle’s victory secured the season series between the teams, giving it the tiebreaker over Houston.—
Chandler Rome,
New York Times,
21 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Head and the Heart is an American indie folk band formed in Seattle who are known for their harmonious vocal blends and heartfelt lyrics.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
28 Sep. 2025
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According to Hays, who is representing Richard and Holly, no such conspiracy existed, and whether or not Richard and Holly knew whether the money went to boys’ ranches is irrelevant, since Baker’s case was focused on violating estray laws, not any financial motivation.—
Mitch Moxley,
Rolling Stone,
27 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Although Louverture had resigned from his position as governor-general of the colony in May, in June 1802 one of Leclerc’s generals tricked Louverture into a meeting, summarily arrested him, along with his wife and children, and then forced them all onto a ship destined for France.—
Marlene L. Daut
September 22,
Literary Hub,
22 Sep. 2025
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On Tuesday, a federal judge will begin hearing the Federal Trade Commission’s case against Amazon that alleges the company intentionally used manipulative practices to trick customers into signing up for the Prime membership service, and knowingly complicated the cancellation process.—
Preston Fore,
Fortune,
22 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Would those traits be enough against the most physical and athletic opponent the Cavaliers had encountered?—
David Teel,
Miami Herald,
27 Sep. 2025
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Even small details—posters, permits, promotional content—have encountered unexpected resistance.—
Javier Garcia del Moral
September 26,
Literary Hub,
26 Sep. 2025
Verb
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His mother, Lucia Ayala, visited him weekly and noticed the onset of a cough, the outlet said.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
24 Sep. 2025
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Security sweep on course As the Republican candidate stood on the fifth-hole putting green last September, Fercano, the Secret Service agent, was riding a golf cart in a security sweep of the sixth hole and noticed someone hiding behind a chain-link fence in the southeast corner of the course.—
Jay Weaver,
Miami Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 28 Sep. 2025.
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