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
-
More than 83% of parents who responded said risks from social media outweighed benefits, while 90% backed a minimum age of 16 to access social media platforms.—
Reuters,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026 -
The family additionally alleges that Roblox failed to adequately disclose the risks children face on the platform.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
14 June 2026
Noun
-
Lead executives Jon Wallace and Ben Tenzer will be dealing with far more pressing dilemmas on draft night and in the days that follow, but they’re also tasked with using the low-value pick to locate someone who can help Nikola Jokic and the Nuggets win immediately.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
9 June 2026
-
The regulation of our environment; the presence of chemicals both intentionally and unwittingly in our food, water, air, and land; the ecological fate of all living creatures, and of the earth itself—all these dilemmas and conundrums find urgent expression in Carson’s work.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
Noun
-
Legal glitches and hitches will eventually be found when AI laws are passed without suitable scrutiny and analysis.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
-
The incidents involving contact with chains, trailer hitches, poles, and curbs indicate recurring limitations in detecting smaller or irregular obstacles, especially during reversing maneuvers.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
Noun
-
Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
-
The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
The younger Modrić’s childhood home in the village of Jasenice was abandoned and remains so to this day, with signs warning visitors of land mines in the area.—
Sanat Pai Raikar,
Encyclopedia Britannica,
2 June 2026
-
The zombie commission was one of the final land mines Adams left behind for his successor.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2026
Noun
-
Other condiments that can be stored in the door compartments include pickles, olives, maple syrup, chocolate syrup, jam, peanut butter, and sauces like hot sauce.—
Kait Hanson,
Southern Living,
7 June 2026
-
Note that pickles made with a salt brine, like Martha's Sour Pickles, are fermented foods, while those made quickly with vinegar are not.—
Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner,
Martha Stewart,
6 June 2026
Noun
-
The gauntlet of booby traps culminating in the giant boulder that kick off Raiders is my single favorite opening sequence in a movie ever.—
Chris Nashawaty,
Entertainment Weekly,
13 June 2026
-
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
Noun
-
That can leave known security holes sitting open.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
-
As the underground limestone dissolves, cracks and holes are created, which eventually cause the ground above to collapse.—
Martin E. Comas,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 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 15 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
