CATCHING UP (WITH) Synonyms: 10 Similar and Opposite Words

catching up (with)

verb

present participle of catch up (with)

as in catching

to move fast enough to get even with I walked faster to catch up with my friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

falling short

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching up (with)

Verb

Former Chicago Police first deputy superintendent Anthony Riccio said catching these riders isn't easy and riders know it.

— Jermont Terry, CBS News, 1 Aug. 2026
Polizzi, 38, credited regular Pap smears with catching her cancer early and encouraged other women to keep up with their own exams for early detection.

— Shayna Jacobs, NBC news, 1 Aug. 2026

Definition of catching

Verb

And in April 2026 a researcher chasing Project Eleven's Q-Day Prize broke a 15-bit key on real quantum hardware.

— Boaz Sobrado, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026
The sluggish start mirrored Wednesday’s defeat, leaving Bay FC once again chasing the game before many fans had settled into their seats.

— Harold Gutmann, Mercury News, 2 Aug. 2026

Definition of chasing

Verb

Eight years later, Amazon sits atop the Fortune Global 500 for the first time, overtaking Walmart to become the world’s largest company by revenue.

— Sarah Glodek, Fortune, 30 July 2026
While Chicago’s postseason probabilities are high, its chances of overtaking Milwaukee in the National League Central are low, meaning the Cubs are unlikely to receive a first-round bye.

— Patrick Mooney, New York Times, 30 July 2026

Definition of overtaking

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

catching up

catching up (with)

catch on

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Catching up (with).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching%20up%20%28with%29. Accessed 9 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of catching up (with)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

anecdote

Popular in Grammar & Usage

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

'Sneaked' or 'Snuck': Which is correct?

Why does English have so many silent letters?

Popular in Wordplay

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Aug. 7

How long is a jiffy?

Popular

7 Pairs of Commonly Confused Words

The Longest Long Words List

It's a Scorcher! Words for the Summer Heat

Games & Quizzes