1
as in realized
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 understood
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 caught on (to)
Verb
-
As many of you may have realized, 2026 is the new 2016.—
Alexandra York,
Forbes.com,
23 Jan. 2026 -
Many others like her have realized — too late — that their insurance payouts won’t cover all of their rebuilding costs.—
CalMatters,
Oc Register,
22 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
The origin of clemency is understood through the Federalist Papers as a need for mercy in instances when the criminal justice system was too harsh.—
Kinsey Crowley,
USA Today,
29 Jan. 2026
-
The attraction stems from feeling emotionally understood.—
Valerie Mesa,
PEOPLE,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
By printing the message, the killer no longer seemed to care about being discovered, despite the fact that not a single fingerprint was found on either side.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
27 Jan. 2026
-
Where has the medallion been discovered in past years?—
Pioneer Press,
Twin Cities,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
This neighborhood was not as grand as Harlem proper, but everyone who hung their hat here knew its allure.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
29 Jan. 2026
-
Prosecutors said Villanueva knew the device qualified as a firearm and destructive device under federal law and that it was not registered.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Over the summer, the NTSB heard 32 hours of testimony over three days, probing virtually every detail of what could have led to the midair collision.—
Alexandra Skores,
CNN Money,
27 Jan. 2026
-
In total, roughly 10 shots can be heard.—
Sarah N. Lynch,
CBS News,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Courts have long recognized that religious worship is entitled to protection, and both state and federal law prohibit intentional interference with a congregation’s ability to practice its faith.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
24 Jan. 2026
-
Nearly four years since launching a full-scale invasion of its neighbor, Russia occupies around 20% of the territory recognized under international law as part of sovereign Ukraine.—
Jessie Yeung,
CNN Money,
24 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The sun dances to its own (currently less-than-deciphered) rhythms, moving through an 11-year-long cycle.—
Sarah Scoles,
Scientific American,
10 Dec. 2025
-
At first this voice from the heavens has seemingly sent a benign message but it’s quickly deciphered to be a DNA cocktail for Earthlings to investigate.—
Jeff Spry,
Space.com,
14 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
Ruhe said the debate reflects lessons learned from nearly two years of war.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
30 Jan. 2026
-
And one of the main lessons that will be learned from that account is that while the harms that occurred came quickly and sometimes surprisingly easily, their negative consequences — on universities and society at large — will linger for a long time.—
Michael T. Nietzel,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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Cite this Entry
“Caught on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caught%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 30 Jan. 2026.
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