CATCHES ON (TO) Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

catches on (to)

verb

present tense third-person singular of catch on (to)

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

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

The spy thriller is just one of the many shows in Sheridan’s empire, and so Luckinbill realizes the biggest obstacle could be getting the prolific creator to take a break from TV.

— Derek Lawrence, Entertainment Weekly, 21 Aug. 2026
Listening in from a nearby water tower via a wire, Rand realizes Kershaw’s connection to the plot and holds him at gunpoint, sparking a fierce brawl between them.

— Max Gao, Variety, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of realizes

Verb

But on an ordinary mission, Hawks discovers a bizarre magic plague, a secret plan hatched by the Separatist army, and a contract with Republic intelligence to take on jobs the army can’t do.

— Hayes Madsen, Space.com, 26 Aug. 2026
The most tender moments come later when Kevin discovers the reason why Coyote wanted his day in court.

— Randy Myers, Mercury News, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of discovers

Verb

Luiz understands that aspect, too, acknowledging that Sporting KC needed him four separate times during Thursday’s news conference.

— Daniel Sperry, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026
Churches, neighborhoods, nonprofits, businesses, utilities and government should periodically engage in preparedness exercises so everyone understands their role.

— Freida Graves, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of understands

Verb

No country has marshaled those efforts like China, where the government sees Tibet, and its Himalayan borderlands, as critical to its national and energy security.

— Simone McCarthy, CNN Money, 29 Aug. 2026
Wall Street sees new treatments as an untapped goldmine, full of consumers who are willing to pay out-of-pocket for better options, reminiscent of the boom in GLP-1 weight-loss drugs.

— Avalon Pernell, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of sees

Verb

The main drama involves a rural teen-age tee girl who recognizes the resort’s president as the potentate who evicted her family from their land.

— Sheldon Pearce, New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2026
Rather than forcing every pup into the same feeding routine, The Pets Table recognizes that different dogs have different needs, preferences, and sensitivities.

— Matthew Kayser, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of recognizes

Verb

Qualcomm’s chip can run Linux, along with Arduino software, and can even do computer vision, which deciphers what a camera sees and translates it into software.

— Kif Leswing, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2025
With that base knowledge and his opponent’s game tape, Nolan analyzes wide receiver alignments and deciphers the offense's attack.

— Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 18 Sep. 2025

Definition of deciphers

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.

Browse Nearby Words

catches one's eye

catches on (to)

catches up

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“Catches on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catches%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 31 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of catches on (to)

verb

Example Sentences

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