catch on (to)

verb

Definition of catch on (to)next
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)
  1. realize
  2. know
  3. discover
  4. understand
  5. see
  6. decipher
  7. hear
  8. recognize
Verb
  • The Dodgers’ front office didn’t realize the severity of Ohtani’s discomfort.
    — Katie Woo, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
  • But Fernández quickly realized exporting the fruit was the way to make real money.
    — Rick Jervis, USA Today, 10 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
  • Inspiration becomes more powerful when everyone understands their role.
    — Tarot.com, Sun Sentinel, 12 Sep. 2026
  • This included finding stretches of joy amid the pain, and coming to understand her flaws without judgment or fear; in all that, the movie reveals how Tessa could’ve fallen for a charming guy like Julian before his violent betrayal.
    — David Canfield, HollywoodReporter, 11 Sep. 2026
Definition of understand
Verb
  • Missouri's confusion comes amid a spate of redistricting across the country normally seen just once a decade after each census.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 10 Sep. 2026
  • The Seahawks used that coverage on nearly 50% of its defensive snaps in the Super Bowl, the highest rate Maye saw all season.
    — Andrew Greif, NBC news, 10 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
  • These documents that make up your pathology report are important for guiding your treatment but can be difficult to decipher on your own.
    — Nicole Pajer, PEOPLE, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • Was hearing Roland Hayes and, in time, other inspiring artists sing Schubert, Brahms, and Schumann songs like being beckoned by a musical brook to trust her instincts and follow its unlikely path?
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026
  • Lyle and Erik Menendez have been granted an early parole hearing for March 2027, California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation records show.
    — Natalie Neysa Alund, USA Today, 10 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Catch on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 13 Sep. 2026.

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Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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