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

This is terrific value for the Jets — Taylor could be an instant-impact three-down weapon who catches a bunch of passes for a long time. —

Sam Warren, New York Times, 25 Apr. 2026 Lemon is highly productive (79 catches for 1,156 yards and 11 touchdowns last season) and an ace at yards after catch but would be a bit of a surprising pick at 11 because 1). —

Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 22 Apr. 2026 There are cozy chairs for lounging, tables for gathering and local artwork lining the walls, all available for purchase if something catches your eye. —

Tristan Graziano, Charlotte Observer, 22 Apr. 2026 Continue reading … PHOTO BOMB — Massive whale shark catches snorkeler by surprise. —

FOXNews.com, 20 Apr. 2026 The 5-foot-10 Brown catches nearly everything that comes her way. —

Matt Le Cren, Chicago Tribune, 20 Apr. 2026 If a passenger catches a fish during an excursion, it must be shipped home. —

Christopher Edwards, PEOPLE, 16 Apr. 2026 Two years after opening Smoke Queen Barbecue’s first brick-and-mortar location in Garden Grove, Winnie Yee, one of the country’s few female pitmasters, still sometimes catches herself looking around the restaurant in disbelief. —

Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 14 Apr. 2026 Alpha-gal syndrome is one that catches people off guard. —

Allison Palmer, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 Apr. 2026

Noun

That raw ability should mollify concerns about his so-so statistical production in a bad Stanford offense (49 catches, 545 yards and two touchdowns). —

Andrew Callahan, Boston Herald, 24 Apr. 2026 Cooper Neill / Getty Images In his rookie season, Matthew Golden had 29 catches for 361 yards in 14 games with the Green Bay Packers. —

Tom Ignudo, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026 Redick said Hayes and Ayton have done a good job of making Sengun’s initial catches in the post come further away from the basket, while also crediting the team coverages that have helped limit the 6-foot-11 Sengun from generating scoring momentum. —

Benjamin Royer, Oc Register, 23 Apr. 2026 Delp is tantalizing as an all-around player but never had more than 24 catches in a collegiate season. —

Parker Gabriel, Denver Post, 23 Apr. 2026 Nacua, a fourth-year pro, led the NFL with 129 catches last season but has had off-the-field problems, including an alleged biting incident that led to a civil lawsuit. —

Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2026 Pickens, acquired last offseason 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, 22 Apr. 2026 There were too many easy would-be catches that were dropped during the 2025 season. —

Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 16 Apr. 2026 Overmyer had two solid seasons with the Roadrunners, combining for 58 catches, 627 yards and eight scores in 2024 and 2025. —

Sam Khan Jr, New York Times, 15 Apr. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catches

Verb

Ebuehi starts to drive away as the officer reaches out and grabs Ebuehi and the scooter.

— Naveen Dhaliwal, CBS News, 23 Apr. 2026
The zookeeper grabs him and delivers the line of the year.

— Samantha Agate, Miami Herald, 20 Apr. 2026