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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But if the risks were vast, so were the potential rewards.—
Patrick Radden Keefe,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026 -
Despite the risks of a blockade, analysts have touted it as an option that would avoid putting boots on the ground.—
Jason Ma,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
-
Since taking office in mid-2022, Marcos has grappled with multiple complex problems and political dilemmas.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
13 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
But her journey hasn’t been without a few hitches.—
Aaron Tolentino,
New York Times,
11 Feb. 2026
-
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
-
The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
-
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
-
Apopo says more than six million land mines may still be buried in the soil of Cambodia.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
-
OpenAI’s paper conspicuously avoids specifying a corporate tax rate, a diplomatic omission that suggests the company knows where the political land mines are buried.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Though offerings shift, look for a summer-classic watermelon gose, prickly pear sour, and even a dill sour ale infused with brine and pickles.—
Chris Malloy,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
-
Add extra cheese, deli meat, pickles, olives, and anything else that sounds good, then top it all with hot honey and fig jam.—
Kylie Petty,
Better Homes & Gardens,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
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
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The movie’s biggest laughs come from Kevin’s hijinks, which involve setting up complex booby traps to fend off a pair of burglars targeting his family’s home.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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Young birdied eight holes to go along with a bogey on the par-5 15th after going water.—
Ryan Morik,
FOXNews.com,
12 Apr. 2026
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Select the Right Pot Oversized pots increase the risk of overwatering, so select a pot or planter that’s just 1 to 2 inches larger than your existing pot and make sure the pot has drainage holes in the base.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
12 Apr. 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 18 Apr. 2026.
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