1
as in to trap
to catch or hold as if in a net
a young idealist who got caught up in the political fanaticism of the times
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to fascinate
to hold the attention of as if by a spell
completely caught up in opera ever since he saw La Traviata
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to interest
to hold the attention of
so caught up in the game that she didn't note the passage of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to inform
to give information to
catch me up on what's been happening at the office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of catch up
Gray’s crime thriller stars Adam Driver, Scarlett Johansson, and Miles Teller in a story about two brothers striving to achieve the American Dream only to get caught up with the Russian Mafia.
—
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 7 May 2026
Why Hobby-Maxxing Matters for Mental and Physical Health The science is catching up to the trend.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
Private citizens may only become newsworthy when they are involved in a crime or caught up (sometimes through no fault of their own) in a significant, newsworthy event.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
Everyone else was just trying to catch up.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for catch up
Brian Welk, IndieWire, 7 May 2026
Why Hobby-Maxxing Matters for Mental and Physical Health The science is catching up to the trend.
—Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
Private citizens may only become newsworthy when they are involved in a crime or caught up (sometimes through no fault of their own) in a significant, newsworthy event.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 7 May 2026
Everyone else was just trying to catch up.
—Dan Zaksheske Outkick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for catch up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch up
Verb
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More than 2,000 vehicles were damaged, and some survivors were trapped for as long as 14 hours before rescue crews reached them.—
Brandi D. Addison,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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In Lord of the Flies by William Golding, young boys gradually become feral and sadistic when trapped on an island together, and in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, Prospero magically shipwrecks his brother and his allies so that they will all be exiled together under his watch.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Yoo is fascinated by how Love Is Blind might fare in Korea.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
7 May 2026
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At the moment, Philadelphia fascinates me most, a Play-In team that has enough talent to make a run to the finals.—
Chris Branch,
New York Times,
4 May 2026
Verb
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Alternatives are dwindling, and playing centre-backs out of position does not interest me.—
The Athletic UK Staff,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
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That’s what interests me enormously.—
Melanie Goodfellow,
Deadline,
12 May 2026
Verb
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In December, the state Department of Energy and Environmental Protection, or DEEP, began holding meetings to inform the public of the possibility of building more nuclear reactors within the state, hoping to entice a town to host one.—
Krisztian Elcsics,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
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As Jones informed Moore of the selection, the 6-foot-3, 198-pound outside corner made a bold proclamation to his new boss.—
Nick Harris,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Recently, researchers in Germany developed a chain-launching drone interceptor that disables UAVs by tangling their spinning rotors midair.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 May 2026
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Somewhere along the way, though, conservation became tangled up in broader political culture wars.—
Amber Harding OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
7 May 2026
Verb
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Artemis 2 enchanted the world in the beginning of April, when its crew of four astronauts flew a 10-day mission around the moon and back to Earth.—
Chelsea Gohd,
Space.com,
8 May 2026
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That studio bosses of today don’t care about enchanting audiences.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
Verb
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The hotel sits within the historic First Residence building complex, which occupies a stretch of riverfront land next to the Giza Zoo.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
12 May 2026
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Meanwhile, the charming house with a small brook off to the side, stands waiting to be occupied with some, but not a lot, of work required.—
Pamela McLoughlin,
Hartford Courant,
12 May 2026
Verb
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Daniel de Visé Americans who traveled on the MV Hondius cruise ship will have the option to return home, rather than to a national quarantine center, if safety protocols permit, a top health official told CNN on Sunday.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
11 May 2026
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Alexa told me she was relieved by the outcome.—
Ava Kofman,
New Yorker,
11 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catch up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch%20up. Accessed 13 May. 2026.
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