CATCH ON (TO) Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

catch on (to)

verb

Definition of catch on (to)

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

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

Maybe my argument was so strong, the AI would realize that its tech overlords were using this insanely powerful technology not to solve hunger or climate change, but to make reading less essential.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026
That distinction matters more than many organizations realize.

— Nick Leighton, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of realize

Verb

Archival records showed that modern state officials had known about the existence of cemetery for decades but had done nothing to restore it or memorialize the children.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Sep. 2026
Other vipers are known to flick their tails, especially baby vipers with bright green or neon yellow tail tips that might appear like a wiggly worm to unsuspecting frogs.

— Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of know

Verb

In 2023, scientists used this approach to discover that beer byproducts were popular canvas primers for artists of the Danish Golden Age.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 11 Sep. 2026
They were first recorded in the Commonwealth in the mid-1980s, and one was discovered at the Bernheim Arboretum and Research Forest last year, around half an hour south of downtown Louisville.

— Chad Murphy, Cincinnati Enquirer, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of discover

Verb

People with brain damage can lose the ability to understand or speak words yet still do math, play chess and compose music.

— George Musser, Scientific American, 17 Sep. 2026
New York already understands the importance of making its cultural life more accessible, and Mayor Mamdani’s recent TDF initiative to give free tickets to high schoolers offers one model.

— Brian Beirne, New York Daily News, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of understand

Verb

Emmys nights one and two saw Widow’s Bay pick up a whopping eight trophies, one short of The Studio’s total of nine last year, and this evening might end with Widow’s Bay grabbing a lot of the same awards The Studio did last year.

— Vulture Staff, Vulture, 15 Sep. 2026
The bookshelf becomes a collective record of the times, ways of seeing, forms that flourished during particular eras, and also questions that persist across centuries.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of see

Verb

No, multiple academics have attempted to decipher the meaning behind the mightily adorable meow of the domestic house cat.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2026
Taxpayer groups working across multiple cities and counties should not have to decipher different deadlines and procedures in every jurisdiction.

— Marc Joffe, Oc Register, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of decipher

Verb

Jensen said some residents have begun exploring their legal options, citing both the emotional duress of hearing constant screams and also a fear of potentially lower property values.

— Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Authored by Wall Street Journal reporter Robbie Whelan, THR hears that among the topics set to be covered will be Iger’s friendship-turned-rivalry with former Marvel chief Ike Perlmutter.

— Alex Weprin, HollywoodReporter, 16 Sep. 2026

Definition of hear

Verb

The opinion team should have recognized that his biased anti-Israel position was not relevant to the subject of his commentary.

— Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 8 Sep. 2026
Alas, for all of his brilliance, Miguel struggles to recognize the emergence of his own paranoia, let alone to identify its source.

— David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of recognize

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.

Browse Nearby Words

catch one's eye

catch on (to)

catchpenny

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“Catch on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 19 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of catch on (to)

verb

Example Sentences

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