1
as in realizes
to come to an awareness of
she caught on to the fact that they were planning a surprise party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in knows
to have a clear idea of
he finally caught on to the concept of phototaxis
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catches on (to)
Verb
-
But when the trio arrives in the forest, Emma realizes that there are secrets among the group — and someone out in the forest may be watching them, as well.—
Carly Tagen-Dye,
PEOPLE,
8 Sep. 2025 -
Marie realizes Danny was the roadblock, so why give up the goose?—
Pete Hammond,
Deadline,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Who knows, but the struggle was real.—
David Aldridge,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
Mark Fisher, who’s been keeping an eye on the Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden's utility bills for the past 20 years, knows this all too well.—
Elizabeth B. Kim,
Cincinnati Enquirer,
7 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
In 1908, the university’s first female student discovers, through the lens of photography, sacred patterns of the universe hidden within the humblest of plants.—
Nancy Tartaglione,
Deadline,
5 Sep. 2025
-
There, however, Cervantes (Julio Peña) discovers his power of storytelling.—
John Hopewell,
Variety,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
As this year’s host of MTV’s VMAs, the legendary musician and actor understands the importance of setting the atmosphere for one of music’s most illustrious nights.—
Lynnette Nicholas,
Essence,
6 Sep. 2025
-
Which is something Adamik understands very well.—
Marta Balaga,
Variety,
6 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Sial also recognizes the benefits a settlement could achieve, especially as someone whose ability to stay at Harvard stands in the balance.—
Andy Rose,
CNN Money,
2 Sep. 2025
-
The timeframe recognizes independence days of eight Latin American nations, according to the National Museum of the American Latino, part of the Smithsonian Institution.—
Jenna Prestininzi,
Freep.com,
2 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Gitlab also now sees full-year revenue of between $936 million and $942 million, while analysts had estimated $941 million, per LSEG.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Without his braces, Butt-Head sees the world and himself in a whole new light.—
Kilty Cleary,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
My body no longer deciphers its signals correctly.—
Alaa Alqaisi
August 13,
Literary Hub,
13 Aug. 2025
Verb
-
Over 40 cases have been filed in district court, which hears the most serious federal offenses, including assault, gun and drug charges.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
4 Sep. 2025
-
The district hears parents’ worries, King said, apologizing that the potential military presence is coming amid a time when students should be happy.—
Kate Perez,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Sep. 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Catches on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catches%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 10 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share