CATCH-22 Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

catch-22

noun

ˈkach-ˌtwen-tē-ˈtü

Definition of catch-22

as in risk

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

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as in dilemma

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

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as in problem

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of catch-22 The Catch-22 Blocking a Cure There is no cure for endometriosis. — Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2026 There’s a catch-22 for April stargazers. — Mike Lynch, Twin Cities, 29 Mar. 2026 The court’s decision left medical professionals in a Catch-22. — Virginia Hammerle, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026 In response, Epstein suggests Tom Wolfe’s The Bonfire of the Vanities, Theodore Dreiser’s The Financier, and Joseph Heller’s Catch-22. — Erin Vanderhoof, Vanity Fair, 6 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catch-22

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch-22

Noun

For their part, Chinese leaders have also sounded the alarm about AI, warning of the risks posed by foreign entities with advanced capabilities.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 15 Sep. 2026
Today, the most-valuable conversations are about what the information means, what risk is emerging and what action should be taken next.

— Suresh Rajapakse, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2026

Definition of risk

Noun

Before this dilemma can play out, Hal triggers an Indiana Jones–esque booby trap inside the compound’s stronghold, summoning Macon’s men with their advanced weaponry.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 7 Sep. 2026
Democrats are happy to point out the dilemma facing their Republican opponents.

— Zac Anderson, USA Today, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of dilemma

Noun

As Clear Lake faces mercury contamination, toxic algal blooms and predatory invasive fish, the Clear Lake hitch — known by local tribes as the chi — are in serious trouble.

— Noah Haggerty, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
Swing trailer-hitch bike rack this summer and absolutely loved it.

— Andrew P. Collins, The Drive, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of hitch

Noun

Her mother hustled her to hospital, only for the doctors to realize Accurso’s active imagination had left her in the same predicament as Madeline’s friends.

— CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 15 Sep. 2026
For their part, the Reiners attempted to work through their predicament not just via the therapeutic process but the creative one.

— Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 14 Sep. 2026

Definition of predicament

Noun

Movies tend to work with bold strokes and colors, and absolute ideas; cinema is a popular medium, and both its power and its pitfalls come from its ability to simplify and underline.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
The recent implosion of the relationship between the professional golf world and the YouTube creators Good Good Golf underscores the potential pitfalls of leaning too heavily on influencers to grow a sport.

— Sara Germano, Sportico.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of pitfall

Noun

Without natto, miso soup, and pickles, my breakfast does not feel complete.

— Michiko Tomioka, CNBC, 5 Sep. 2026
In the book’s 16 central chapters, Roden wanders from central categories such as yogurt, egg dishes, breads and pickles, showing how the countries of this region prepare stunning variations of common foodstuffs.

— Scott Hocker, TheWeek, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of pickle

Noun

Evans explains that a dead or dying tree, typically called a snag, provides ecosystem benefits, including habitat for birds and other wildlife, food and shelter for insects, and organic matter and structure for soil health.

— SJ McShane, Martha Stewart, 13 Sep. 2026
Gurman claims the foldable is still on track for this fall, despite chatter about manufacturing snags.

— Kimberly Gedeon, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2026

Definition of snag

Noun

Labeled as a generational talent before the 2024 draft, the wide receiver put up decent numbers as a rookie but struggled to make contested catches.

— Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026
Wide receiver Kyle McNeal dropped a catch-and-run opportunity that could have resulted in a significant gain, while tight end Jackson Verdugo and Gaines had already dropped passes earlier in the game.

— Alejandro Hernandez, Miami Herald, 6 Sep. 2026

Definition of catch

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catch-22

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“Catch-22.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch-22. Accessed 18 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of catch-22

noun

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