1
as in realizing
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 knowing
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 catching on (to)
Verb
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There's really nothing better than firing up a grill and having a nice barbecue, but few things are as enraging as getting ready to cook and realizing something is missing.—
Matt Reigle OutKick,
FOXNews.com,
16 May 2026 -
Cloudflare axed a fifth of its staff after realizing that thousands of AI agents can handle the humans’ old tasks.—
Rachyl Jones,
semafor.com,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Still, the answer to treating PMOS isn’t just patients knowing what to look for and what to do, experts say.—
Madeline Holcombe,
CNN Money,
13 May 2026
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The two have since built an unspoken connection, each knowing when the other is feeling especially bogged down by the conflict.—
Juliana Kim,
NPR,
13 May 2026
Verb
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Cannes, after all, has always prided itself on discovering and nurturing new talent — and pushing the envelope of what cinema both is and can be.—
Christopher Vourlias,
Variety,
15 May 2026
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For Birmingham, that means discovering what Alabama’s second-largest city really offers—especially its quietly stellar food scene that’s been racking up James Beard nominations.—
AFAR Media,
AFAR Media,
15 May 2026
Verb
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Maybe a computer was a new tool for understanding poetry.—
Jill Lepore,
New Yorker,
18 May 2026
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The week-long experience focuses on strength training to increase muscle mass; the importance of nutrition (especially protein); and understanding the long-term effects and impacts of weight loss medications.—
Judy Koutsky,
Forbes.com,
17 May 2026
Verb
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Currently, judges in California courts are responsible for deciphering the nuances of California’s Invasion of Privacy law.—
Kate Wolffe,
Sacbee.com,
14 May 2026
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The study creates new criteria for deciphering old dice and allows archaeologists to further explore how games have evolved over time, researchers say.—
Taylor Nicioli,
CNN Money,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Hiba imagined seeing snow for the first time and living in a cold state, such as Ohio.—
Annie Hylton,
New Yorker,
14 May 2026
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His absence led to Ben Hutton and Dylan Coghlan seeing elevated minutes, and both handled them well.—
Eric Stephens,
New York Times,
13 May 2026
Verb
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An intimate gathering of filmmakers, executives, and financiers, featuring the Honours presentation recognizing Crystine Zhang with the Vanguard Award for her leadership in advancing independent filmmaking and culture-forward storytelling across the global film landscape.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
11 May 2026
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But that wouldn’t come close to recognizing their value.—
Chris Smith,
Vanity Fair,
11 May 2026
Verb
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Walker claimed that the police car was traveling at high speed, most likely on a call, and recalled hearing sirens right before the crash.—
Escher Walcott,
PEOPLE,
13 May 2026
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Indeed, hearing about your trips could bring them a lot of joy.—
R. Eric Thomas,
Chicago Tribune,
12 May 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Catching on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 18 May. 2026.
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