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 aura of regimented cool that Vanhée created at the Row caught the attention of Hermès executives. — Lauren Collins, New Yorker, 7 Sep. 2026 Senior receiver Mikey Matthews made a significant contribution, catching four passes for 88 yards, including a deep ball with 13 seconds left at the end of the first half that allowed UCLA to kick a field goal and take a seven-point lead. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Noun
Dallas Wilson needed just three catches for 47 yards to make his presence felt. — Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Sep. 2026 Receiver Puka Nacua led the league in receptions last season, and future Hall of Famer Davante Adams led the league in touchdown catches. — Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 6 Sep. 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
  • Running back If you’re not used to seeing the running back position here, grab a ticket and join the line.
    — Colton Pouncy, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Just like the rest of us that day, most of the dead were just going about such ordinary tasks as showing up for work, grabbing a cup of coffee and traveling on a commercial jetliner, or just trying to lend a hand to people in trouble.
    — Mike Kelly, USA Today, 7 Sep. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • Turek is garnering 46% of the vote to Hinson’s 42%, while Libertarian candidate Thomas Laehn is getting 6%, and 6% of voters are undecided, according to the survey from Global Strategy Group conducted for Turek’s campaign.
    — Burgess Everett, semafor.com, 9 Sep. 2026
  • However, when the UK is involved, things get more complicated.
    — Danielle Rossingh, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Definition of get
Verb
  • The new rules mandated that referees stop play for a ten-minute hydration break that allows players to drink fluids, change clothes, or shower in their locker room.
    — Aaron Short, Curbed, 3 Sep. 2026
  • The team stopped at 800 N because increasing the load further would require additional protective equipment, with a separate destructive limit test planned.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • At a normal concert, the first people in line rush to the barrier to secure the best viewpoint for the show.
    — Caden Perry, jsonline.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • And as part of a deal to secure export licenses for advanced chips from the US government, HUMAIN will not allow Chinese frontier AI models to be trained on its compute capacity.
    — Kelsey Warner, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of secure
Verb
  • The death came as the festival endured another year with weather woes, including rain on Friday that temporarily closed a main gate to festival grounds known as Black Rock City.
    — Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
  • As the commission moved toward a vote on the plan, there was a certain resignation among the ballroom skeptics, who knew that they were outnumbered.
    — Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • An English springer spaniel in Alabama loves nothing more than spending her whole day in the pool and has taken to tricking her parents into letting her into the pool every day.
    — Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026
  • Hang a paper nest to trick hornets into thinking a colony has already claimed the space.
    — Karen Brewer Grossman, Southern Living, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • Murray hopes to connect with young people who encounter negativity on social media.
    — Mitch Sherman, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2026
  • On September 9, 1947, the Harvard Mark II, one of the earliest computers, encountered a bug.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of encounter
Verb
  • Researchers identified the activity in May after noticing unusual edits and messages appearing across the site.
    — Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 4 Sep. 2026
  • The Impending Cost to Google Google's current bet is that the average person won't notice the corner-cutting.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on catch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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