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
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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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
-
The dilemmas of post-revolutionary life—in particular, the gap between fulsome propaganda and flawed realities—were efficiently captured, as usual, in the popular genre known as the anekdot.—
Benjamin Nathans
September 24,
Literary Hub,
24 Sep. 2025
-
In the plot, a fictional president of Italy faces moral and ethical dilemmas.—
Marcelo Cajueiro,
Variety,
23 Sep. 2025
Noun
-
Presenting Linda with two open wounds—one in the ceiling, and one in her child’s flesh—the film suggests, with sly wit and bristling optimism, that the solutions to both problems might be one and the same.—
Justin Chang,
New Yorker,
9 Oct. 2025
-
While other people were asking about promotions, titles, and raises, Burns was taking on the problems nobody else wanted to solve.—
Kimberly Wilson,
Essence,
9 Oct. 2025
Noun
-
One day, doctors could produce blood fully compatible with a patient’s body, avoiding rejection risks.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
14 Oct. 2025
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But the Fed shifted course last month, cutting interest rates to stave off the rising risks facing the labor market.—
Sylvan Lane,
The Hill,
14 Oct. 2025
Noun
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For a novice member of the field, the coolest details of the event doubled as booby traps.—
Gabby Herzig,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Specialized teams were called to the scene to defuse booby traps in the residential building, city police said.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
Noun
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Buckle up for a college football Saturday loaded with potential pitfalls for big-name programs.—
Dan Santaromita,
New York Times,
9 Oct. 2025
-
Growing up in the Cities, you are exposed to certain pitfalls that every youth has, opportunities for self-sabotage; reading Basil Johnston’s books and digging into my art with that reflecting in mind helped keep me out of trouble and steer me towards being an artist.—
Duante Beddingfield,
Freep.com,
8 Oct. 2025
Noun
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However, there remain several potential snags.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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Developers have yet to break ground, while people familiar with the matter in the UAE, Nairobi, and Washington catalog problems with the project, extending from grand geopolitics to quotidian financial snags.—
Alexis Akwagyiram,
semafor.com,
22 Sep. 2025
Noun
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The lineup of fly fishing films features breathtaking locations, great catches and the stories behind them.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Oct. 2025
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However, Samuel had just four catches for 15 yards and may have been still feeling the effects of his lingering heel injury.—
Josh Buckhalter,
MSNBC Newsweek,
14 Oct. 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 16 Oct. 2025.
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