catch 1 of 2

verb

ˈkach How to pronounce catch (audio)
Definition of catchnext
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

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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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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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catch

2 of 2

noun

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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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb catch contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of catch are bag, capture, ensnare, entrap, snare, and trap. While all these words mean "to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing," catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

Where would bag be a reasonable alternative to catch?

The words bag and catch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

When is capture a more appropriate choice than catch?

While the synonyms capture and catch are close in meaning, capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

How are the words entrap and ensnare related as synonyms of catch?

Both entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question
a sting operation that ensnared burglars

How is trap related to other words for catch?

Trap, snare, entrap, and ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor. Trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals
snared butterflies with a net

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of catch
Verb
The eggs royale hit the nail on the head, although the groaning plate that passed me by with the Zetter full English did also catch my eye. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 18 Aug. 2026 If the narrative is outdated or wrong, position tracking will not catch that either. — Paul M. Wilson, Forbes.com, 17 Aug. 2026
Noun
Jonathon Brooks only had three carries for 5 yards and added one catch for 9 yards. — Alex Zietlow, Charlotte Observer, 15 Aug. 2026 Brecht caught 34 passes for 711 yards and 12 TDs and Simmons had 18 catches in seven games. — John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch
  1. grab
  2. get
  3. stop
  4. secure
  5. know
  6. trick
  7. encounter
  8. notice
Verb
  • After grabbing an early 83-81 lead in overtime, the Dream gave up eight straight points to the Fever, who never lost the lead in overtime again, although the Dream got within two points, 93-91, with 10 seconds left.
    — Micahya Costen, AJC.com, 17 Aug. 2026
  • The little breaths, the cloth grabs and punches were all deliberate.
    — Simon Thompson, HollywoodReporter, 17 Aug. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • Instead, in their wake, the league veered far in the other direction, taking the finesse out of the game and turning on-court play into a street fight, with officials unable or unwilling to get their arms round the physicality.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
  • The Bears haven’t ruled out the possibility of getting Trapilo at least some reps during training camp this month to test him out and rebuild his confidence in padded practices.
    — Dan Wiederer, New York Times, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of get
Verb
  • The aid workers who once regularly visited her village to help pregnant women had stopped coming, after foreign aid cuts by the United States shuttered a program aimed at saving mothers’ and babies’ lives.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • The exposure obviously scares him, but not enough to stop him from filming his next scene, where he’s been tasked with breaking in newcomer Cami Soul.
    — Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 13 Aug. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • That structure could help OpenAI secure large amounts of debt.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Beyer won the Democratic nomination the same day, defeating four challengers and securing roughly 68% of the vote.
    — Amy DeLaura, The Washington Examiner, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of secure
Verb
  • That included conversations with people within the Seahawks organization who know him, most notably backup quarterback Jalen Milroe, who played with Arnold at Alabama.
    — Tobias Bass, New York Times, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Accessible only by boat and completely untouched, CNN’s Leroy Ah Ben explores this gem known mostly to locals.
    — Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • Mistruths, false claims, scams, and other deceptive efforts are tricking people into thinking that a watermark removal app will do wonders, whereas the reality is that the results are at best half-mixed or aimed to cause damage.
    — Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2026
  • ClickFix works by tricking you into performing an action on your computer that stealthily downloads and installs malware.
    — Alan Henry, PC Magazine, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • Students will encounter larger classes, fewer course offerings and a more transient instructional workforce.
    — Francisco Ruiz, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Along the way, he's encountered some of the challenges that come with spending weeks on two wheels.
    — Marlee Ginter, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of encounter
Verb
  • Orange County beachgoers notice that there's a lot of stingrays lately, and lifeguards say the warm water, especially in places where the surf is relatively calm, is contributing to a dramatic increase in the number of stingray incidents.
    — Michele Gile, CBS News, 14 Aug. 2026
  • Apartments with sticky floors and landlords absentee enough not to notice, or care, if a living room became a mosh pit.
    — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of notice

Phrases Containing catch

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catcalls
catch
catch-22
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Cite this Entry

“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 19 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on catch

Nglish: Translation of catch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catch

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