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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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
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But neither option, Kuntz explained, seems likely to resolve Hollywood’s dilemmas.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
15 June 2026
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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
Noun
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Many have had the wheels or hitches removed years ago.—
Cassie Powell,
The Conversation,
3 Nov. 2025
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The day went off without many obvious hitches, although one unexpected development was Disturbed singer David Draiman being greeted with boos as well as cheers.—
Chris Willman,
Variety,
5 July 2025
Noun
-
Victorian novels made good use of the predicaments of second and third sons, who had to become ministers or soldiers or schemers, and daughters who needed to be married off according to age.—
Christine Smallwood,
Harpers Magazine,
24 Mar. 2026
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Journeys that used to take entire seasons were being covered in single episodes, characters survived predicaments that once meant surefire death, and previously relevant factors like supplies, infrastructure, and alliances no longer mattered.—
Tim Brinkhof,
Big Think,
24 Mar. 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
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Politics was the focus of the discussion, a topic that too often comes with land mines when two opposing views are on display.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Noun
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There are more brands now selling artisanal pickles in distinctive flavors like honey harissa (or gimmicky ones that beg for virality, like purple grape), and many of them are sold at national grocery chains.—
Scottie Andrew,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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The fermentation in the miso and pickles is good for a healthy gut.—
Adam Yamaguchi,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Noun
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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
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The movie’s biggest laughs come from Kevin’s hijinks, which involve setting up complex booby traps to fend off a pair of burglars targeting his family’s home.—
Shirley Li,
The Atlantic,
30 Jan. 2026
Noun
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That can leave known security holes sitting open.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
14 June 2026
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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
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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 17 Jun. 2026.
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