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
What caught your attention about their process behind the scenes? —Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 11 Feb. 2026 Moura inhabits the raw honesty of a man caught in the heart of authoritarianism, anchoring a timely, true-story-adjacent drama. —Clayton Davis, Variety, 11 Feb. 2026
Noun
Those included Cooper Kupp, who led Seattle with six catches for 61 yards. —Peter Sblendorio, New York Daily News, 9 Feb. 2026 Seattle moved the ball down the 18-yard line on a Cooper Kupp catch after a few other big plays. —February 9, CBS News, 9 Feb. 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
  • Similarly, Bad Bunny also stopped at a piraguas cart recreation and briefly grabbed a frozen dessert.
    — Edward Segarra, USA Today, 10 Feb. 2026
  • His piece of genius separated the sides entering the 84th minute but during a chaotic finale, the hosts conspired to grab defeat from the jaws of victory.
    — James Pearce, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • And the other function of music media is learning more, getting deeper into fandom, learning more about the lives of a lot of musicians, many of whom don’t necessarily need a magazine or music media to put their image out there for them.
    — Ben Smith, semafor.com, 14 Feb. 2026
  • This latest iteration, which builds on the 2024 version by adding a voter ID provision, must get 60 votes to pass.
    — Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy, USA Today, 14 Feb. 2026
Definition of get
Verb
  • From open models to real-world applications, China has shown that constraints have not stopped it from gaining ground.
    — John Liu, CNN Money, 11 Feb. 2026
  • From there, James made second-team All-NBA the next season and didn’t stop landing on one of the three teams until this season.
    — Scott Thompson, FOXNews.com, 11 Feb. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • A number of teams, including the Jazz, would seem to have a great interest in securing a high selection for this year’s draft.
    — Mark Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 13 Feb. 2026
  • Stoke Lindenstraße 34-35 (entrance via Feilnerstraße), 10969 Berlin Among Berlin’s culinary arrivals, Stoke has quickly emerged as a table insiders talk about securing.
    — Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 13 Feb. 2026
Definition of secure
Verb
  • Bass, who was politically weakened by her performance during the fire and its aftermath, was already facing more than two dozen challengers looking to oust her in the June 2 primary — the vast majority little known to the public and not expected to pose any threat.
    — David Zahniser, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • One note e-mailed Monday to the KOLD-TV newsroom in Tucson included information that only the abductor would know, anchor Mary Coleman told CNN.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Feb. 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • But a new study suggests that, in certain organs, tumors actively communicate with the brain to trick it into protecting them.
    — Jacek Krywko, Scientific American, 4 Feb. 2026
  • Experts say such scam operations in Cambodia and elsewhere have cheated people around the world out of billions of dollars and tricked people from many countries to work in them under slave-like conditions.
    — Sakchai Lalit, Los Angeles Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • In 2024, Chen Goldberg encountered a problem familiar to many senior operators.
    — Matt Emma, USA Today, 8 Feb. 2026
  • The majority of people the students encountered were supportive.
    — Michelle Mullins, Chicago Tribune, 7 Feb. 2026
Definition of encounter
Verb
  • Then Heard noticed a provision in a California law created in 2012 that allows juveniles sentenced to life without parole to petition for resentencing.
    — Kelly Davis, San Diego Union-Tribune, 8 Feb. 2026
  • First responders noticed that the child seemed malnourished and had bruising on his body, police said.
    — Clifford Ward, Chicago Tribune, 8 Feb. 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 14 Feb. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on catch

Nglish: Translation of catch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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