variants
or catch-22s
1
as in risks
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 & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in dilemmas
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 & Similar Words
3
as in problems
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 & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch-22's
Noun
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Botin and the Spanish started taking risks, breaking out to the far side of the course in a bid to get a winning split on the Australians, but to no avail.—
Andrew Rice,
New York Times,
11 May 2026 -
Highlighting his emergency response to the Palisades Fire, Allen has a four step plan to stabilize the market, hold the industry accountable, transform the Department into a rapid-response agency and reduce risks.—
Teagan Davidge,
Oc Register,
10 May 2026
Noun
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But that mood turns out to be a surprisingly strong fit for the performer at the center of director Pete Ohs’ story of personal dilemmas and natural disasters.—
David Fear,
Rolling Stone,
15 Apr. 2026
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Since taking office in mid-2022, Marcos has grappled with multiple complex problems and political dilemmas.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Apr. 2026
Noun
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But her journey hasn’t been without a few hitches.—
Aaron Tolentino,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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The draft horse shows this week during the stock show’s 120th anniversary will include 15 six-horse hitches, or six horses pulling a wagon.—
Judith Kohler,
Denver Post,
24 Jan. 2026
Noun
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The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
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Journeys that used to take entire seasons were being covered in single episodes, characters survived predicaments that once meant surefire death, and previously relevant factors like supplies, infrastructure, and alliances no longer mattered.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
24 Mar. 2026
Noun
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Politics was the focus of the discussion, a topic that too often comes with land mines when two opposing views are on display.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
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Apopo says more than six million land mines may still be buried in the soil of Cambodia.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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There’s also the Chicken Sammy for $13, topped with Swiss and mozzarella cheeses as well as Buffalo-style mayo, pickles, housemade pesto and lemon caper aioli.—
Carolyn Komatsoulis,
Idaho Statesman,
11 May 2026
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Breakfast also featured a fish main (a thick cut of salmon with miso sauce), pickles, rice, and miso soup.—
Mae Hamilton,
Travel + Leisure,
8 May 2026
Noun
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Picture Indiana Jones swapping his fedora for a Han dynasty helmet, dodging booby traps in dusty Chinese tombs.—
Urnesha Bhattacherjee,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
27 Apr. 2026
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In the days leading up to the attack, Ghazali allegedly rigged his truck with booby traps, fireworks, explosives, and large amounts of gasoline.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
30 Mar. 2026
Noun
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That alone changes the math — his cardio dropoff against Strickland was directly tied to the weight cut, and removing that variable fixes one of the only real holes in his game.—
Brian Mazique,
Forbes.com,
10 May 2026
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Bullet holes could be seen in the back door of one of the homes.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
10 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Catch-22's.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch-22%27s. Accessed 12 May. 2026.
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