CATCH-22S Synonyms: 72 Similar and Opposite Words

catch-22's

noun

variants or catch-22s

plural of catch-22

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

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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

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

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch-22's

Noun

Qualifying risks must involve more than $1 billion in damages or the deaths or serious injuries of over 50 people.

— Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 17 Oct. 2026
Commercial incentives persist Koh said shipping companies around the world have continued looking for opportunities to navigate the Strait since the conflict erupted, with some operators prepared to accept higher risks and costs.

— Lee Ying Shan, CNBC, 16 Oct. 2026

Definition of risks

Noun

But aspects such as strong characters, emotional investment, aspirational and authentic journeys, contemporary tensions, real moral dilemmas and complex relationships are what keep you there.

— Marta Balaga, Variety, 11 Oct. 2026
More broadly, the premiere sets up a deepening of Common Side Effects’ many dilemmas.

— Joshua Rivera, Vulture, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of dilemmas

Noun

That type of physicality can come in handy on plays like quick hitches, screens, drags run over the middle of the field.

— Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 20 Sep. 2026
The process had a few hitches in it caused by the divorce, but the Swopes showed up regularly at their immigration meetings as scheduled, working through the long process.

— Ben Fenwick, Oklahoma Watch, 12 July 2026

Definition of hitches

Noun

The relentless rain associated with Hurricane Isaias didn’t stop some hikers from venturing onto trails and greenways in North Carolina, leading to life-threatening predicaments, officials say.

— Mark Price, Charlotte Observer, 15 Oct. 2026
On the screen, in a series of daredevil adventures, the actor had extricated himself from a hundred impossible predicaments.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of predicaments

Noun

His Minderoo Foundation—named for the cattle ranch of his childhood—has since given about $28 million to Ukraine’s schools and agricultural projects, and to clearing land mines.

— Vivienne Walt, Fortune, 23 Sep. 2026
Since the wars ended, land mines and unexploded ordnance have killed approximately 90,000 people and wounded almost twice as many across the three countries.

— ABC News, ABC News, 18 Aug. 2026

Definition of land mines

Noun

But making inroads with a customer who responds positively to condom-wearing pickles is easier said than done, and there certainly isn't a one-size-fits-all strategy.

— Megan Sauer, CNBC, 13 Oct. 2026
Garlic confit, turkey deli meat, pickles, jalapeño marinade, pesto and an unknown sauce were held past seven days in the walk-in cooler.

— Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 12 Oct. 2026

Definition of pickles

Noun

Four years later, Kaczynski started adding booby traps around his cabin, and throughout the 1980s, he was accused by his neighbors of poisoning their dogs, The New York Times reported in 1999.

— Katie Mather, PEOPLE, 28 Sep. 2026
But first, Roy has to undo all the booby traps in there placed to mess with visiting teams’ heads.

— Hannah Abraham, Forbes.com, 12 Aug. 2026

Definition of booby traps

Noun

The golf course will remain open to the public throughout the renovation effort, although individual holes may temporarily close while work is underway, the agency said.

— Matthew Daly, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
That might mean using vintage fabric to patch holes in armchairs or rugs, rather than replacing them altogether.

— Hannah Coates, Vogue, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of holes

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.

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catch-22

catch-22's

catchall

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“Catch-22's.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch-22%27s. Accessed 17 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of catch-22's

noun

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