catch 1 of 2

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

catch

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noun

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Dan stepped onto the scene in a tailored suit that caught the light and everyone’s attention. Karissa Mitchell, Essence, 15 Aug. 2025 For all Sacks’ efforts to remain an indefinable cult figure outside the mainstream, he has lately been caught in Hollywood’s tractor beam, with several film scripts in advanced stages of development. Julian Sancton, HollywoodReporter, 15 Aug. 2025
Noun
McCaffrey's ability to not only catch screen passes but also line up as a makeshift wide receiver makes San Francisco's offense very unpredictable and hard to handle. Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Aug. 2025 But having Bryce Carlson, who made 33 catches for 468 yards last season, will be reassuring. Steve Reaven, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2025 See All Example Sentences for catch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch
Verb
  • But Sunday, unfortunately for him, slipped away quickly as World No. 1 grabbed his fifth season title.
    Devlina Sarkar, MSNBC Newsweek, 18 Aug. 2025
  • Four prisoners had to take turns using a bunk bed just to grab a few hours of sleep.
    Michael Collins, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • The person who brought in the phone also told police about a DoorDash purchase of rubber gloves and garbage bags and a search history on the phone, such as how to get from Flint to Ohio, Bagiano testified.
    Christina Hall, Freep.com, 25 Aug. 2025
  • Tommy Fleetwood finally got the job done and won his first PGA Tour event.
    Julio Cesar Valdera Morales, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Texas Democrats fled their state on August 3, heading to Illinois, New York and Massachusetts, in order to stop Republicans from approving the redrawn House maps sought by President Donald Trump that would give the GOP five more winnable seats before next year's midterm elections.
    Khaleda Rahman, MSNBC Newsweek, 16 Aug. 2025
  • That means that education will continue to be a big part in stopping scammers.
    Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes.com, 16 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • New England remains winless against LAFC — now 0-3-1 going back to 2017 — and has secured just two wins in its last 16 regular season matches.
    Julian Cardillo, Boston Herald, 17 Aug. 2025
  • Sign up for the latest DraftKings UFC promo code offer and secure this welcome bonus.
    Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 17 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • In the event of your vehicle hydroplaning, here's what to know: Ease off the accelerator - Step off the gas to slow down the vehicle until the tires find traction.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2025
  • Several of the Jeep fans who spoke to the Free Press mentioned or knew of the recent contest FCA hosted to pick a Jeep Top Canine from thousands of entries.
    Eric D. Lawrence, USA Today, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • All these attacks lead to fake sign-in pages that steal your password, and sometimes add an additional step to either trick you into sharing a 2FA code or to bypass the need for that 2FA code completely.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
  • Whereas in the past a lot of scams tried to trick you into giving out your financial account numbers, many now seek to persuade you to move your money from one of your accounts to another type of account the scammers can access.
    Jeanne Sahadi, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Coming back from space, the ship encounters much higher temperatures than the booster sees at lower velocities.
    Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 15 Aug. 2025
  • Investigators encounter them at multiple times in human history.
    Rob Wieland, Forbes.com, 15 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Looking over the data for evidence of supernovas, Schulze noticed an object that rapidly increased in brightness 2.2 billion light-years from Earth.
    Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Americans have noticed that Democratic leaders are increasingly unhinged.
    Nicole Russell, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 28 Aug. 2025.

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