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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The first is light management (trapping more photons), and the second is interface passivation (reducing energy losses).—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Oct. 2025
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Staff tried to bar the doors, Mitchell said, but the water got in, trapping her and others inside.—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
5 Oct. 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
-
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 parachute relies on a single suspension line rather than many cords, which reduces tangling and speeds up deployment.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
1 Oct. 2025
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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
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
-
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
-
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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When there was labor unrest, the coal town churches tended to side with the companies, advising miners against strikes or agitation.—
The Conversation,
The Conversation,
7 Oct. 2025
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The University of Southern California (USC) has issued a warning to faculty and staff holding H‑1B work visas, advising them to postpone international travel until further guidance is available amid the White House immigration crackdown, according to , a student newspaper.—
Billal Rahman,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Catching up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching%20up. Accessed 8 Oct. 2025.
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