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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And the answer to the various risks and harms of AI is public control of AI objectives through democratic means.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 Nov. 2025 -
But with stocks trading at historically expensive levels, there are risks abound.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
4 Nov. 2025
Noun
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The author recalled having a nightmare about his own family and unconsciously tapping into his personal dilemmas, which provided the basis for the book by the time the sun rose.—
Julie Tremaine,
PEOPLE,
30 Oct. 2025
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Those on the conference call would likely face very human dilemmas, and that might lead them to deviate from the rules, added Erin Dumbacher, an expert in nuclear policy at the Council on Foreign Relations.—
Geoff Brumfiel,
NPR,
24 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
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
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My connection often improved a few minutes later, but those drops could result in stuttering in games, hitches in streaming, and slow file downloads.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Pakistan Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad said his nation was hoping for more of a consensus going into Tuesday’s vote given the funding predicaments and operational issues that have dogged the MSS.—
Jacqueline Charles,
Miami Herald,
30 Sep. 2025
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Is River in desperate need of some R&R, or is everyone else projecting their own predicaments onto him?—
Ben Travers,
IndieWire,
24 Sep. 2025
Noun
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During the dictatorships after World War II, the natural barrier of the Accursed Mountains was fortified, set about with land mines, and patrolled, effectively isolating the stronghold of Albania from the rest of the world.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
22 Oct. 2025
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If Hamas fails to disarm, that will give Netanyahu an excuse to restart the war and avoid all the political land mines that the next phases present him.—
Thomas L. Friedman,
Mercury News,
16 Oct. 2025
Noun
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To get the Benny Blanco drink, customers could add cherry flavor and pickles.—
Taylor Ardrey,
USA Today,
3 Nov. 2025
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Then she’s trapped by aisles on all sides, boxed in by shelf after shelf of pickles.—
Louis Peitzman,
Vulture,
3 Nov. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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To prevent water buildup that could block energy generation, the researchers added micro drainage holes that let water flow downward but not upward, and keep the surface clear for droplet impacts.—
Georgina Jedikovska,
Interesting Engineering,
4 Nov. 2025
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On Tuesday, the league announced that from the upcoming season, all LIV events will be played over four days and 72 holes.—
Devlina Sarkar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
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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 8 Nov. 2025.
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