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
-
Proper humidifier placement protects your home and health by preventing mold, moisture damage, and safety risks.—
Caroline Lubinsky,
Martha Stewart,
7 Jan. 2026 -
The risks inherent in the LBO structure are exacerbated by the amount of debt PSKY must incur, its current financial position and future prospects, as well as the lengthy period to close the transaction – which PSKY itself estimates to be 12-18 months following signing.—
Todd Spangler,
Variety,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Readers send Miss Manners not only their table and party questions, but those involving the more complicated aspects of life - romance, work, family relationships, child-rearing, death - as well as philosophical and moral dilemmas.—
Judith Martin,
Dallas Morning News,
6 Jan. 2026
-
The following is a breakdown of those questions and others, and the key personnel dilemmas that remain unsolved as the World Cup nears.—
Paul Tenorio,
New York Times,
5 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Many have had the wheels or hitches removed years ago.—
Cassie Powell,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
-
The two-door, three-person Can-Am Defender Limited and the four-door, six-person Defender Max Limited have 82-horsepower engines, power steering, tow hitches with a 2,500-pound towing capacity, winches, air conditioning and heating, a full hard roof and a three-position tilt-up glass windshield.—
Steve Waters,
Miami Herald,
12 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Brooks’s screenplay makes ample space to dump praise upon its protagonist while bemoaning her many predicaments.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
-
But this is just one of the many predicaments of writing memoir.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Or how a British charity cleared 300,000 land mines left over from a civil war in Sri Lanka, foot by foot.—
David Pogue,
CBS News,
28 Dec. 2025
-
Byrne’s brows immediately furrow, her face a map of emotional land mines.—
Angelica Jade Bastién,
Vulture,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
-
Working in batches if needed, arrange pickles in a single layer in air-fryer basket (do not overcrowd).—
Holly Riordan,
Better Homes & Gardens,
8 Jan. 2026
-
Along with the usual lettuce, tomato and mayo, the inaugural customer creation, introduced for a limited time in July 2025, dressed the brand’s staple burger patty and bun with American cheese, bacon, crispy onions, and pickles with golden onion rings and a smoky BBQ sauce.—
Bailey Richards,
PEOPLE,
7 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
The Duffers add that one of the key inspirations for this season is Home Alone—specifically the booby traps.—
Eliana Dockterman,
Time,
16 Oct. 2025
-
For a novice member of the field, the coolest details of the event doubled as booby traps.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
Officers saw multiple bullet holes on the metal fence dividing the properties and shell casings in his backyard, the affidavit said.—
Sofia Saric,
Miami Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
-
Add a pass rusher with the first pick, a receiver in Round 2 and then spend heavily on patching holes in free agency.—
Jacob Robinson,
New York Times,
7 Jan. 2026
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.
Cite this Entry
“Catch-22's.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch-22%27s. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share