variants
or catch-22s
1
as in land mines
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
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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
-
There are different ways to demine territory, from using dogs to sniff out land mines to sappers—combat engineers focusing on clearing mines—manually working their way through an area, or operators remotely controlling large demining machines.—
Ellie Cook,
MSNBC Newsweek,
28 Aug. 2025 -
The ninth inning revealed other land mines.—
Fabian Ardaya,
New York Times,
7 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
True moral dilemmas, which become tangled, in ways that seem impossible to unravel, with his private life.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Find someone who can step back and see your dilemmas from a different angle.—
Nirit Cohen,
Forbes.com,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
This body is now written into the club’s articles of association, in theory reducing the chance of problems.—
Simon Hughes,
New York Times,
5 Sep. 2025
-
The past year has been marred by a number of troubles, including resolving management problems and financial issues.—
David Ferrara,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
5 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Others say that approach risks keeping critical documents under wraps and delays a fuller accounting.—
Robert Birsel,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
-
At Electric Goddess, their projects begin with an in-depth strategy session to align on goals, risks, and vision before tailoring a plan that fits.—
Malana VanTyler,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
These may show up in Ukraine before long, perhaps walking ahead of patrols to find booby traps and clear routes through minefields, or taking bullets to expose enemy firing position.—
David Hambling,
Forbes.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Her mother and grandmother had gotten through the pitfalls of motherhood without medication or other forms of support; her mom worked a full-time job while raising three kids.—
Alyssa Goldberg,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
-
Just as automation ultimately changed manufacturing, AI will undoubtedly reshape how companies operate; however, GM’s experience highlights the pitfalls of not thinking about its implementation carefully.—
Emma Burleigh,
Fortune,
3 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Crews remain committed to the Garden Fire, which is burning in an area of snags on very steep terrain.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
1 Sep. 2025
-
It's pumiced enough to have no snags, no irks.—
Jack Royston,
MSNBC Newsweek,
1 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
He's collected 152 catches for 1,292 yards and eight touchdowns.—
Andrew Wright,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Sep. 2025
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Shakir played in 43 games across four years for Boise State, recording 208 catches for 2,878 yards and 20 touchdowns.—
Shaun Goodwin,
Idaho Statesman,
3 Sep. 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 9 Sep. 2025.
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