1
as in trapping
to catch or hold as if in a net
a young idealist who got caught up in the political fanaticism of the times
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in fascinating
to hold the attention of as if by a spell
completely caught up in opera ever since he saw La Traviata
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in interesting
to hold the attention of
so caught up in the game that she didn't note the passage of time
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in informing
to give information to
catch me up on what's been happening at the office
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of catching up
Beijing is catching up, as shown by the sudden rise of AI startup DeepSeek.
—
Rebecca A. Fannin, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Speaking of which, the big category shake-up this year is the introduction of best traditional country album, which is alternately being seen as a reaction to Beyoncé’s best country album victory last year or simply catching up to similar subdivisions in R&B and other genres.
—Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
When that happens, catching up will be far harder—and far more expensive—than acting now.
—Alex Brueckmann, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Rebecca A. Fannin, MSNBC Newsweek, 1 Oct. 2025
Speaking of which, the big category shake-up this year is the introduction of best traditional country album, which is alternately being seen as a reaction to Beyoncé’s best country album victory last year or simply catching up to similar subdivisions in R&B and other genres.
—Alan Light, HollywoodReporter, 1 Oct. 2025
When that happens, catching up will be far harder—and far more expensive—than acting now.
—Alex Brueckmann, Forbes.com, 3 Sep. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching up
Verb
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Stokes joined Keitt’s project a few years later, trapping birds to take blood samples for genetic analysis and releasing them back into the wild.—
Amanda Schupak,
CNN Money,
29 Sep. 2025
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Others rely on it for necessities, such as heating oil, winter tires or snowmachines, which are critical modes of transportation in rural villages where residents rely on hunting or trapping.—
Becky Bohrer,
Fortune,
28 Sep. 2025
Verb
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But after winning just six games the next two seasons, AD Mike Garrett left a message on the coach’s answering machine informing him he was fired.—
Stewart Mandel,
New York Times,
2 Oct. 2025
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Stewart opened by informing the audience that there have been six mass shootings in the past 24 hours.—
Jack Dunn,
Variety,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The sides had been tangling over the evidence since March, when the judge held a Frye hearing to determine whether the new type of DNA testing should be admissible.—
Michael Ruiz , Jennifer Johnson,
FOXNews.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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The large brush roll resists tangling hair and pet fur, which eliminates the need to stop and pull items off the brush—and also eliminates a clogged pipe.—
Yelena Moroz Alpert,
Architectural Digest,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Then the picture begins to blur before coming back into clear focus to reveal Novak, still enchanting at 92, standing in a room filled with her paintings.—
Jeremy Helligar,
People.com,
1 Sep. 2025
Verb
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And even in a film telling a universal story, some cultural allusions speak most strongly to the home audience.—
Gershom Gorenberg,
The Atlantic,
3 Oct. 2025
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American technologists have been telling educators to rapidly adopt their new inventions for over a century.—
Justin Reich,
The Conversation,
3 Oct. 2025
Verb
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It’s measured by gripping a handheld dynamometer.—
Alexa Mikhail,
Flow Space,
1 Oct. 2025
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The satire on higher education is rich, yet the larger themes about one’s purpose and ideas are gripping.—
AudioFile Magazine
September 30,
Literary Hub,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Blair would bring years of political and negotiating experience to the task after occupying 10 Downing Street for a decade and later acting as an international envoy in the Middle East.—
Tim Lister,
CNN Money,
1 Oct. 2025
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The 431-part movement is, of course, the star of the new trio, occupying pride of place at 6 o’clock underneath three counters.—
Rachel Cormack,
Robb Report,
30 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Johnson praised the president’s campaign advising Salvadorans on how to stay healthy during COVID-19.—
T. Christian Miller,
ProPublica,
30 Sep. 2025
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Goldman will receive huge fees for advising EA in the take-private deal — a boon to its investment banking revenue.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
30 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Catching up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching%20up. Accessed 5 Oct. 2025.
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