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
Why Hobby-Maxxing Matters for Mental and Physical Health The science is catching up to the trend.
—
Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
The state has 296 existing sites, quickly catching up to Virginia, the country’s data-center hub.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
The science behind why your brain feels rebooted afterward is finally catching up to the hype.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
So while Geely’s breakthrough screams potential, the supporting cast – grid capacity, charger density, and standardization – is still catching up.
—New Atlas, 9 Apr. 2026
Despite delays in previous weeks, its haulers are catching up, said Andy Wontor, a county spokesperson said.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
The turnout rate for student voters at community colleges was catching up with the rate at public four-year institutions, data suggested.
—Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 8 Apr. 2026
When Miami Metro’s Angel Batista (David Zayas) arrives with questions, Dexter realizes his past is catching up to him fast.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Media outlets are catching up to our latest Linde thesis.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 May 2026
The state has 296 existing sites, quickly catching up to Virginia, the country’s data-center hub.
—Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 May 2026
The science behind why your brain feels rebooted afterward is finally catching up to the hype.
—Samantha Agate, Kansas City Star, 30 Apr. 2026
So while Geely’s breakthrough screams potential, the supporting cast – grid capacity, charger density, and standardization – is still catching up.
—New Atlas, 9 Apr. 2026
Despite delays in previous weeks, its haulers are catching up, said Andy Wontor, a county spokesperson said.
—Ryan Gillespie, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Apr. 2026
The turnout rate for student voters at community colleges was catching up with the rate at public four-year institutions, data suggested.
—Hansi Lo Wang, NPR, 8 Apr. 2026
When Miami Metro’s Angel Batista (David Zayas) arrives with questions, Dexter realizes his past is catching up to him fast.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 2 Apr. 2026
Media outlets are catching up to our latest Linde thesis.
—Jeff Marks, CNBC, 2 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching up
Verb
-
That vomit accretes in layers across avian generations, trapping 50,000 years’ worth of data about the birds’ diet and the sea ice environment.—
Hannah Richter,
Scientific American,
7 May 2026
-
Near the summit of Half Dome, on the infamous steel cables hikers use to ascend the final stretch of bare granite, another traffic jam formed, trapping people hundreds of feet in the air, according to social media posts.—
Jack Dolan,
Los Angeles Times,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Wilentz, author of the 2010 book Dylan in America, wrote Volume 18‘s detailed, often fascinating 125-page liner notes that provides historical context for the expansive eight-CD set.—
Glenn Peoples,
Billboard,
7 Nov. 2025
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Once on the ground visitors can enjoy Greenland’s rugged coastal landscapes, fascinating indigenous Inuit culture, and the opportunity to experience the country at its primordial best.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The passenger responded to an email from the ship’s operator informing passengers of the health event and checked himself in at a hospital.—
Janet Loehrke,
USA Today,
7 May 2026
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In addition to informing policymakers and expanding research resources to find out more about the genesis of these events, scientists say more public awareness that these events are even happening is key.—
Ella Nilsen,
CNN Money,
6 May 2026
Verb
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Recently, researchers in Germany developed a chain-launching drone interceptor that disables UAVs by tangling their spinning rotors midair.—
Jijo Malayil,
Interesting Engineering,
8 May 2026
-
Wrap cords using cable ties to prevent tangling and fraying.—
Maria Sabella,
Better Homes & Gardens,
26 Apr. 2026
Verb
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That studio bosses of today don’t care about enchanting audiences.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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Equally enchanting this fashion month were Celine’s colorful leather pouches—particularly in cobalt blue, a trending hue—as seen on Ramya Giangola and Yumi Shin below.—
Andrea Zendejas,
Vogue,
27 Apr. 2026
Verb
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And while the company presented more data on that drug Tuesday, showing promising first-line and combination data on daraxonrasib, scientists also showed in another session intriguing preclinical data on a completely new compound that may represent what comes after the current lineup.—
Angus Chen,
STAT,
21 Apr. 2026
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There’s familiarity there, but there’s also intriguing talent with Thompson.—
SportsDay Staff,
Dallas Morning News,
9 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Like Flores and Natal, Kaik found that the company, York Service & Towing, would only take cash, telling her that sometimes, people would pay with a credit card then cancel the card before payment went through.—
Ginny Monk,
Hartford Courant,
28 Apr. 2026
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Shortly after telling her to contact security, Alvarez arrived upstairs.—
Alex Gurley,
PEOPLE,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
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Another, from 2009, is dominated by the profile of what appears to be a guard dog gripping a black hunk of something unidentifiable.—
Ben Davis,
The New York Review of Books,
25 Apr. 2026
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Meanwhile, Nazem Kadri is passing up shots and sometimes looks uncomfortable gripping his stick right now.—
Sean Keeler,
Denver Post,
24 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Catching up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching%20up. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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