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

Some people didn't realize a data center was being built in their community until construction began.

— Dana Taylor, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
George Lucas, for his part, has suggested that bringing the Lucas Museum to fruition—a project beset by delays and controversy that has taken nearly a decade to realize—was a herculean effort.

— Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of realize

Verb

The death came as the festival endured another year with weather woes, including rain on Friday that temporarily closed a main gate to festival grounds known as Black Rock City.

— Dennis Romero, NBC news, 5 Sep. 2026
As the commission moved toward a vote on the plan, there was a certain resignation among the ballroom skeptics, who knew that they were outnumbered.

— Antonia Hitchens, New Yorker, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of know

Verb

Through both global and regional open calls, PhotoVogue continues to discover and amplify voices across geographies and communities.

— Alessia Glaviano, Vogue, 4 Sep. 2026
Suresh Raut, deputy manager at the Nepal Electricity Authority, who was at the rescue site when the body was discovered, said an 11-man team, including relatives of the missing, has been dispatched to search the surrounding area.

— Sana Noor Haq, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of discover

Verb

By studying who farts more, who farts less and how flatulence changes with diet, researchers aim to understand how microbes respond to different foods and why some people can tolerate high-fiber diets comfortably while others struggle with gas.

— Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
Scientists have long sought to understand the link between climate change and El Niño.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of understand

Verb

Barclays projects that palm oil, coconut oil, and rubber could rise by 30% to 40% over the next 18 months, coffee could see an additional 20% to 30% surge, and rice could increase by a further 10% to 20%.

— , CNBC, 3 Sep. 2026
Authorities initially said Saylor’s mother reported that her child had wandered off from a rental home in Hagley Estates in Pawleys Island and was last seen wearing her swimsuit.

— Marlene Lenthang, NBC news, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of see

Verb

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
And navigating a website might involve deciphering images or knowing what links to click.

— Jennifer D. Kobrin, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026

Definition of decipher

Verb

Along with performances from Chappell Roan, Doechii and more, the festival provided a space where attendees could connect directly with the festival’s nonprofit partners and hear more about the issues and communities at the center of their work.

— Desiree Anello, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 2026
Twice that day, Issa hears about earnest stuff Anton said to win voters over to Paul Baker’s side.

— Ben Rosenstock, Vulture, 2 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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Style

“Catch on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 10 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of catch on (to)

verb

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