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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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
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At their best, superhero stories can be potent metaphors for tangible human dilemmas.—
Nicholas Quah,
Vulture,
27 Jan. 2026
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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,
23 Jan. 2026
Noun
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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
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But producers, presenters and winners soldiered on with few hitches.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
19 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Rustin has slyly given her script a focus on women’s needs and feelings, a welcome departure for a genre that usually is more concerned about the men’s predicaments.—
Matthew J. Palm,
The Orlando Sentinel,
18 Jan. 2026
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Brooks’s screenplay makes ample space to dump praise upon its protagonist while bemoaning her many predicaments.—
David Sims,
The Atlantic,
12 Dec. 2025
Noun
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Russia has used land mines in its invasion of Ukraine, and in July accused Ukraine of doing so too, after Ukraine announced its withdrawal from the Ottawa Convention.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
14 Jan. 2026
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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
Noun
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Serve it with or without a bun plus your favorite toppings like pickles, slaw, and extra sauce.—
Jenna Sims,
Southern Living,
21 Jan. 2026
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Sook by Maydan is offering a $ 15-per-person Dine LA lunch menu with a choice of beef wrap or chicken shish taouk wrap, served with house pickles, labneh spread, and a farmers market side salad.—
Kaila Yu,
Forbes.com,
17 Jan. 2026
Noun
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When two bumbling thieves (Joe Pesci and Daniel Stern) attempt to rob his home, Kevin begins an elaborately violent, slapstick battle of wits via booby traps involving a tarantula, paint buckets, and flamethrowers.—
Chris Snellgrove,
Entertainment Weekly,
26 Dec. 2025
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While claims of booby traps and rivers of mercury would likely make anyone think twice about entering the tomb, this is not the main barrier to full excavation.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
25 Dec. 2025
Noun
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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
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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
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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 2 Feb. 2026.
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