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
-
Whatever the issue’s current valence among the electorate, that so many high-ranking Democrats have taken it up hints at a profound, if not yet fully realized, break with the Party’s politics dating back to that escalator ride, and perhaps further still.—
Jon Allsop,
New Yorker,
24 Apr. 2026 -
But then the estate realized that the decades-old settlement with the accuser forbade any party from depicting that situation for commercial purposes.—
Spencer Kornhaber,
The Atlantic,
24 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
First, let it be understood that the Padres were not facing another of what has been a seemingly constant stream of pitchers with incredible stuff.—
Kevin Acee,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
23 Apr. 2026
-
The report analyzes data from 2022 through 2024 to grade counties on unhealthy levels of ozone and particle pollution, perhaps better understood as smog and soot, respectively.—
Samantha Neely,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
During the traffic stop, officers discovered Harrison in the back seat, and learned that the ride-share driver was taking him to a Westminster-area hotel.—
Lily Carey,
Baltimore Sun,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Celeste’s family has largely stayed out of public view since her body was discovered.—
Alaa Elassar,
CNN Money,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The team knew Reiten’s contract expired in the summer.—
Melanie Anzidei,
New York Times,
23 Apr. 2026
-
But no one knew how to fully compute these invariants in an efficient way, except for the first member of the sequence.—
Erica Klarreich,
Quanta Magazine,
22 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
But the pregame boos McCollum heard Monday were nothing compared to what the Garden crowd later showered him with after a third-quarter spat with Jose Alvarado.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
21 Apr. 2026
-
Ned’s father, Bob Hunt, visited the hospital that night to check on English and heard the news he was paralyzed from the neck down.—
Dave Hyde,
Sun Sentinel,
20 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Armenia was reliant on its close alliance with Russia for the first three decades of its existence, ensuring its protection against Azerbaijani attempts to take Nagorno-Karabakh, which was internationally recognized as part of Azerbaijan but under the de facto control of Armenia.—
Brady Knox,
The Washington Examiner,
25 Apr. 2026
-
Steven Hager, writing in the Village Voice, in 1982, gave the burgeoning scene in the Bronx the reportorial treatment, widely recognized as the first major newspaper acknowledgment of the turntable innovation that was happening uptown.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The researchers then deciphered certain traits that were linked to the habit.—
Angelica Stabile,
FOXNews.com,
8 Apr. 2026
-
Kinsella was excited for Yates’ voice to be an easter egg—one of many voices to be deciphered by fans among a scream-singing chorus.—
Jazz Monroe,
Pitchfork,
8 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
During their first meeting, at Mar-a-Lago, in 2017, Xi famously learned about American strikes on Syria.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
23 Apr. 2026
-
Fifty years ago, a teen at a summer mountain camp learned about smog in Southern California and its effects on forests.—
Joy Benedict,
CBS News,
23 Apr. 2026
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Cite this Entry
“Caught on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caught%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
