CATCHES Synonyms: 442 Similar and Opposite Words

catches 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of catch

as in grabs

to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly we tried to catch the kitten before she could sneak out the door

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as in gets

to become affected with (a disease or disorder) you'll catch the flu for sure if you don't get a shot

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as in stops

to bring (something) to a standstill I caught myself just as I was about to step into the freshly poured concrete

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as in secures

to put securely in place or in a desired position caught back her hair with a barrette

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as in knows

to have a clear idea of I didn't catch the point you were making about our nation's foreign policy

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as in deceives

to cause to believe what is untrue a number of media outlets were caught by the woman's hard-luck story

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as in encounters

to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face I'll catch you at the library tomorrow

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as in notices

to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes I looked out the window just in time to catch the neighbor's dog digging up my flower bed

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as in overtakes

to move fast enough to get even with despite the suspect's considerable lead, the fleet-footed police officer was able to catch him and make an arrest

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falls short

catches

2 of 2

noun

plural of catch

as in hitches

a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized the catch is that you have to come up with the money by tomorrow

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as in prizes

someone or something unusually desirable everyone thought the captain of the football team was a real catch

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as in yields

the total amount collected or obtained especially at one time the total catch for our day at the creek was six fish and a crab

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Example Sentences

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.

Recent Examples of catches

Verb

The pair hope the wood-fire concept catches a spark in the area. —

Kansas City Star, 8 May 2026 Also, Andrew Greif catches you up on the NHL playoffs, as round 2 is underway there, too. —

Andrew Greif, NBC news, 6 May 2026 What catches people off guard is rarely the art. —

Daniel Cassady, ARTnews.com, 4 May 2026 But then the company catches a break. —

Neil Senturia, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 May 2026 In a makeshift demonstration kitchen in Concord, California, cooking oil splatters in and around a frying pan, which catches fire on an unattended gas stove. —

Cyrus Farivar, ArsTechnica, 2 May 2026 This superb sipper is as good a reason as any to break out your punch bowl, and is soon to become your signature once everyone at the gathering catches an eyeful, then tastes a cup-full. —

Hallie Milstein, Southern Living, 1 May 2026 In Bend, Oregon, Outdoor Adventure Belongs to Everyone On a visit to this adventure magnet, Sophie Morgan goes for a trek in the high desert in an off-roading wheelchair and catches an outdoor concert, washed down, of course, with a few pints of local craft beer. —

Hannah Wallace, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Apr. 2026 Curtis just didn’t show much as a pass catcher in college (13 catches for 167 yards and two touchdowns in 2025). —

Zack Rosenblatt, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2026

Noun

Center fielder Preston Hendry and right fielder Brodey Vicars made nice catches to back the pitcher. —

John Maffei, San Diego Union-Tribune, 7 May 2026 His 147 career catches illustrate a receiving game where those track skills pay off. —

Nate Atkins, New York Times, 6 May 2026 Benge made another one of those catches in center field Monday, helping out right-hander Austin Warren by robbing Tyler Freeman of extra bases. —

Abbey Mastracco, New York Daily News, 5 May 2026 The tight ends also got involved, as Steven Stilianos and Shawn Bowman both had big catches during the Storm’s two scoring drives. —

Chris Hays, The Orlando Sentinel, 4 May 2026 Filipino fishermen returning from about a month at sea unloaded catches of yellowfin tuna, bigeye tuna and blue marlin last May at the General Santos fish port, which is known as the Philippines’ tuna capital. —

Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 3 May 2026 Opened in 1980 by commercial fisherman Jon Mansur and his wife, Sharon, Jon’s Fish Market grew into one of the harbor’s defining businesses, offering a direct line between local catches and the plate. —

Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 2 May 2026 The 25-year-old, acquired last year in a trade with Pittsburgh, had career highs in catches (93), yards receiving (1,429) and touchdowns (nine) for one of the best offenses in the NFL last season. —

ABC News, 29 Apr. 2026 Just How Big These Snakes Get The record catches put the problem in perspective. —

Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catches

Verb

Fans start to notice what's happening about five seconds into it, and then another man comes up behind the fan, grabs him and tackles him into the seats.

— Zach Dean OutKick, FOXNews.com, 7 May 2026
And if no candidate grabs a majority in either of those races, this district’s voters might have to go to the polls four times.

— East Bay Times editorial board, Mercury News, 7 May 2026