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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to secure
to put securely in place or in a desired position caught back her hair with a barrette

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in prize
someone or something unusually desirable everyone thought the captain of the football team was a real catch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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
The issue has caught the attention of lawmakers on Capitol Hill, where a flurry of proposals have been introduced since the start of the year. — Justin Papp, CNBC, 7 July 2026 But the rally ended when Hernández’s liner up the middle landed in the glove of Rockies right-hander Jimmy Herget, who just entered the game, catching Kyle Tucker off first base for a double play. — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 7 July 2026
Noun
Gonzalez, robbed of a potential first-inning homer when Adell made a leaping catch of his drive above the wall in right, followed with a towering 368-foot fly that cleared the short left-field wall for his first homer of the season and a 7-1 lead. — ABC News, 5 July 2026 Gonzalez, robbed of a potential first-inning homer when Adell made a leaping catch of his drive above the wall in right, followed with a towering, 368-foot fly that cleared the short left-field wall for his first homer of the season and a 7-1 lead. — Los Angeles Times, 5 July 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
  • Schieffelin, who played football last season because had used up his basketball eligibility, used his bulky frame to grab eight rebounds on an 11-point night.
    — Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 7 July 2026
  • Once the excitement had died down, the team gathered in a circle and a player went up to Haaland, grabbed the back of his neck and kissed his cheek.
    — Tim Rohan, NBC news, 6 July 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • Mediators of the deal, led by Pakistan and Qatar, will almost certainly now be hurriedly trying to get the agreement back on the rails.
    — Ivana Kottasová, CNN Money, 8 July 2026
  • Last month, veteran Hollywood producer Roy Lee got three calls in a single day from executives at three different studios.
    — Cerys Davies, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
Definition of get
Verb
  • During the war, as the death toll ticked upward in the enclave, search operations for bodies largely stopped, either because most heavy equipment was destroyed, fuel became scarce or many strike sites became inaccessible due to the fighting.
    — Bilal Shbeir, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • Curious passersby stopped throughout the day, gazing up at what used to be the Pfizer headquarters building.
    — Emma Tucker, CNN Money, 9 July 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • Chapman allowed back-to-back singles after his milestone strikeout, but got Jo Adell to ground into a double play to secure his 17th save.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 4 July 2026
  • Chapman gave up back-to-back singles after his milestone strikeout, but got Jo Adell to ground into a double play to secure his 17th save.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of secure
Verb
  • Cape Verde 40-year-old goalkeeper Josimar Jose Evora Dias, also known as Vozinha, became a fan favorite along the way.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 4 July 2026
  • Sometimes there is a fine line between being a hero or a bum, but Dave has been able to negotiate that line, because players trust him, and the players know that Dave cares about them and their families.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 July 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • These fraudulent sites often mimic legitimate stores or rank high in search results, tricking desperate consumers into buying non-existent AC units.
    — Steve Weisman, Forbes.com, 5 July 2026
  • The revenge story saw Tucker's exes convincing Snow's Kate to trick the ladies' man into falling in love with her.
    — Rachel McRady, PEOPLE, 4 July 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • Each has plays — like a slow-roller up the third base line that requires a quick throw across the diamond — that no other position will encounter.
    — Maddie Lee, Los Angeles Times, 3 July 2026
  • The first time former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice encountered Kevin Warsh was in the 1980s.
    — Eleanor Pringle, Fortune, 3 July 2026
Definition of encounter
Verb
  • Court documents say witnesses noticed Lopez acting strangely before the attack.
    — Jasmine Baehr, FOXNews.com, 3 July 2026
  • Soon though, Shawna noticed some of Zaayer's strange behaviors — including scolding her grandson, getting upset over cleaning habits and allegedly showing them racist videos.
    — Caroline Blair, PEOPLE, 3 July 2026
Definition of notice

Phrases Containing catch

Browse Nearby Words

catcalls
catch
catch-22
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 9 Jul. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on catch

Nglish: Translation of catch for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

Listen to the pronunciation of tacit

See Definitions and Examples »

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

Commonly Misspelled Words

How to Use Em Dashes (—), En Dashes (–) , and Hyphens (-)
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List

One-Word Oxymorons: Bittersweet, Spendthrift, and More

Ten Words Ending with a Silent ‘T’

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Is that lie 'bald-faced' or 'bold-faced'?

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
hangman letters and game
Hangman Lightning Round Figure out which word fits in the blanks.
See All