Thesaurus
Synonyms & Antonyms of catch-22
1
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
- the drug lowers cholesterol, but the catch-22 is that it mainly lowers good cholesterol
Synonyms for catch-22
Words Related to catch-22
2
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
- the catch-22 faced by every first-time loan applicant: how to get a loan without a credit history
Synonyms for catch-22
Words Related to catch-22
Phrases Synonymous with catch-22
3
a situation in which one has to choose between two or more equally unsatisfactory choices
- an environmental catch-22: building wind farms results in scenic eyesores; not building wind farms results in greater pollution from fossil fuels
Synonyms for catch-22
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Cite this Entry
“Catch-22.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch-22. Accessed 28 Oct. 2021.
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Merriam-Webster's Words of the Week - Oct. 22
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The first known use of catch-22 was in 1963
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