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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gotcha
In a partial charade guise arranged by Mike Cristaldi, the team’s vice president of communications, and his longtime TV partner Eric Collins, Curry was the victim of a gotcha moment.
—
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 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
At a Black Bear party, gotcha reporters and leering industry types jockey to meet her.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
But Kirk’s acolytes seem more interested in a game of gotcha than true, honest discourse.
—Andrea Williams, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gotcha
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 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
At a Black Bear party, gotcha reporters and leering industry types jockey to meet her.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
But Kirk’s acolytes seem more interested in a game of gotcha than true, honest discourse.
—Andrea Williams, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gotcha
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gotcha
Noun
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The incidents involving contact with chains, trailer hitches, poles, and curbs indicate recurring limitations in detecting smaller or irregular obstacles, especially during reversing maneuvers.—
Bojan Stojkovski,
Interesting Engineering,
16 May 2026
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What the critics say But the economy’s roaring comeback from the pandemic recession didn’t come without a hitch.—
Bryan Mena,
CNN Money,
15 May 2026
Noun
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Multiple spills — including the 1997 Torch/Platform Irene spill, the 2007 San Francisco Bay Cosco Busan bunker fuel spill, and the 2021 Huntington Beach pipeline leak — have reinforced California’s argument that expanded drilling and aging pipelines pose ongoing environmental risks.—
James Ward,
USA Today,
15 May 2026
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And other states might not want to take similar risks.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
15 May 2026
Noun
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The fire extinguisher incident was the latest pitfall in a season that, even by Marseille’s own inherently chaotic standards, has stretched the bounds of credibility.—
Tom Williams,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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Of course, the pitfalls of rooting a soap opera in the world of modern football means your supporting characters are at the mercy of the transfer merry-go-round.—
Jon O'Brien,
IndieWire,
14 May 2026
Noun
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The sentencing itself hit a procedural snag.—
Brian Maass,
CBS News,
9 May 2026
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The lengthy feud between Asuka and Sky hit yet another snag when Sane, a key figure in the storyline, was suddenly and shockingly released by WWE after WrestleMania 42.—
Blake Oestriecher,
Forbes.com,
9 May 2026
Noun
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On future flights of Starship V3, SpaceX will attempt to bring the ship back to Starbase for a catch by the launch tower’s mechanical arms, as the company has already demonstrated with the rocket’s massive Super Heavy booster.—
Stephen Clark,
ArsTechnica,
12 May 2026
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Fish catches have dropped, transport has become more difficult and families are facing rising costs as they are forced to buy potable water.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
12 May 2026
Noun
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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
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Apopo says more than six million land mines may still be buried in the soil of Cambodia.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
Noun
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As a kicker, Evans and co offered Calvert-Lewin the No 9 shirt.—
Beren Cross,
New York Times,
17 May 2026
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The kicker here is that the Esiri brothers have shifted Woolf’s very British period tale to Lagos, with key sections in a contemporary setting.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
16 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gotcha.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gotcha. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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