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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As geopolitical competition intensifies, such concentrations pose risks to industries dependent on uninterrupted access to critical materials.—
Ken Silverstein,
Forbes.com,
21 June 2026 -
The company utilizes a development approach that structures projects specifically to limit the initial capital exposure and execution risks faced by its partners.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
21 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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In Houston, some drivers were up to their trailer hitches in lapping waters, while photos from Waco, Texas, showed roadways washed away by the storms.—
Chris Dolce,
CNN Money,
15 June 2026
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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
Noun
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Rather than bridging shortfalls, both Seattle and Washington now face more difficult fiscal predicaments, Joblon said.—
Aldo Svaldi,
Denver Post,
18 May 2026
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The madman strategy is for not-crazy leaders caught in adverse predicaments.—
David Frum,
The Atlantic,
8 Apr. 2026
Noun
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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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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
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The renaissance embraces the pickles themselves, the flavor of their pickling and even their packaging.—
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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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
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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
Noun
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The piece has seven holes for customization, and it’s designed to be worn at the hips or waist.—
Rachel Trujillo,
PEOPLE,
22 June 2026
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If your idea of a bucket-list trip includes your furry friend digging holes in the sand and splashing around in the surf, then add Rehoboth Beach to the top of your list.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
21 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 22 Jun. 2026.
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