1
as in to realize
to come to an awareness of
she caught on to the fact that they were planning a surprise party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to know
to have a clear idea of
he finally caught on to the concept of phototaxis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch on (to)
Verb
-
But Rasmus will come to realize that some dreams are best left undiscovered.—
Leo Barraclough,
Variety,
10 June 2026 -
With more galleries, more programming, and a building that carries six decades of museum history, this year’s edition may be the closest the fair has come to realizing that vision.—
Daniel Cassady,
ARTnews.com,
10 June 2026
Verb
-
Federal authorities said the unsafe or improper use of drones, also known as unmanned aircraft systems (UAS), can pose risks to aircraft, law enforcement operations and people on the ground.—
Zachary Bynum,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
-
Consider it a hometown tour led by a queen who’s captivated the world but still knows exactly where to find the best pho, the coolest art, and the perfect perch to watch someone else tear up the dance floor.—
Todd Plummer,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 June 2026
Verb
-
Leave behind New York’s stifling policies and discover a state where your ambition can soar.—
Mike Dunleavy,
New York Daily News,
14 July 2025
-
Charleston may be known for its Southern charm, but there’s a lot more to learn in this city, as my family discovered.—
Eve Chen,
USA Today,
14 July 2025
Verb
-
Hughton, whose father is from Accra, understands the frustration of a fanbase starved of success for so long.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
17 June 2026
-
In cosmology itself, there has been quite a bit of progress in the past five years to develop the theoretical techniques to understand these three-dimensional data that have been gathered by new devices….—
Joseph Howlett,
Scientific American,
16 June 2026
Verb
-
For example, the prescription offered by those who saw a generally healthy way of life as the right way to prevent disease helped propel cleaning up the filthy cities of the Industrial Revolution—and that really did reduce the impact of common fevers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 June 2026
-
Ahead of the biggest New York Knicks game a generation has ever seen, team owner James Dolan has gotten into a war of words with NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani.—
Ryan Morik OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
11 June 2026
Verb
-
This season, with a full deck of defensive backs — including rookies Will Lee and Zakee Wheatley — Evero will decipher his best secondary combinations.—
Charlotte Observer,
Charlotte Observer,
27 May 2026
-
Immigration experts who were trying to decipher the news said the memo was more nuanced, leading to confusion over what the change actually entailed.—
Rebecca Santana,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2026
Verb
-
The nine-member jury that could decide NASCAR’s future has heard several times over the past six days that the plaintiffs are asking for a lot of money in damages.—
Alex Zietlow,
Charlotte Observer,
9 Dec. 2025
-
Lawmakers decided to hear them out.—
Kayla Dwyer,
IndyStar,
9 Dec. 2025
Verb
-
In the years that followed, law enforcement agencies nationwide changed their response to active shootings, more clearly recognizing that the first officers on scene should move to confront the shooter immediately, even if alone.—
Elizabeth Wolfe,
CNN Money,
12 June 2026
-
Chicago Fire fans will recognize Brian Gutiérrez, who scored nine goals for the squad last season.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
12 June 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Catch on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
