as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the gotcha in the low monthly rate quoted by the cable company is that it is a teaser and good for only six months
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gotcha
And sometimes the gotcha nature of the reports backfires.
—
ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
As ever, the side characters try to look suspicious until one (or more) of them is declared the killer, a gotcha that feels as arbitrary as roulette.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Seven months after the world became obsessed with the tech CEO and his HR chief stealing a kiss on the big screen at a Coldplay show, the gotcha moment seen ’round the world is coming to the Super Bowl.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2026
The gotcha setup sustains a solid level of suspense that carries through the series’ eight episodes (though it could easily have been trimmed to six).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gotcha
ABC News, 24 Apr. 2026
As ever, the side characters try to look suspicious until one (or more) of them is declared the killer, a gotcha that feels as arbitrary as roulette.
—Amy Nicholson, Los Angeles Times, 26 Feb. 2026
Seven months after the world became obsessed with the tech CEO and his HR chief stealing a kiss on the big screen at a Coldplay show, the gotcha moment seen ’round the world is coming to the Super Bowl.
—Gil Kaufman, Billboard, 30 Jan. 2026
The gotcha setup sustains a solid level of suspense that carries through the series’ eight episodes (though it could easily have been trimmed to six).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for gotcha
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gotcha
Noun
-
Legal glitches and hitches will eventually be found when AI laws are passed without suitable scrutiny and analysis.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes.com,
30 May 2026
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But the gathering goes off without a hitch, and Whitaker, 27, is ready to spill on everything she’s currently obsessed with.—
Jake Henry Smith,
Glamour,
29 May 2026
Noun
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Meanwhile, telehealth companies have not historically followed the same rules that drugmakers have in disclosing medication risks in advertisements.—
Maia Rosenfeld,
NBC news,
29 May 2026
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In an era of generative AI, climate instability, and rapid technological acceleration, Panetta believes engineers must be adaptable, ethical, creative, and brave enough to take risks.—
Christopher McFadden,
Interesting Engineering,
28 May 2026
Noun
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The Bruins’ success in the batter’s box also has helped raise the tide of a team that could’ve fallen into many pitfalls.—
Liana Handler,
Los Angeles Times,
1 June 2026
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Even then, the finale’s other and perhaps more glaring pitfall is an uneven perspective.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
1 June 2026
Noun
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All three have 15-20-goal potential, though the lack of a true setup man on this trio stands out as a potential snag.—
Max Bultman,
New York Times,
26 May 2026
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The gold plates effortlessly glided through both my real hair and the clip-ins, straightening them evenly without any snags.—
Essence Wiley,
InStyle,
24 May 2026
Noun
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Even the fish is line-caught by local fishermen who are able to provide the freshest catches to the hotel regularly for ceviches or grilling.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
2 June 2026
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Brown had four catches for 121 yards and two touchdowns for his first multi-touchdown game since Week 8 of the 2023 season.—
Saad Yousuf,
New York Times,
2 June 2026
Noun
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The zombie commission was one of the final land mines Adams left behind for his successor.—
Josephine Stratman,
New York Daily News,
28 May 2026
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Politics was the focus of the discussion, a topic that too often comes with land mines when two opposing views are on display.—
Denise Crosby,
Chicago Tribune,
6 May 2026
Noun
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The real kicker was Snowflake’s AI compute deal with Amazon, which included a $6 billion commitment to Amazon Web Services over the next five years.—
Morgan Chittum,
CNBC,
30 May 2026
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Kansas City Chiefs kicker Harrison Butker, for example, spoke at Benedictine College’s commencement in 2024 and encouraged female graduates to become homemakers.—
Austin Sarat,
Twin Cities,
29 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gotcha.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gotcha. Accessed 3 Jun. 2026.
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