1
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly
we tried to catch the kitten before she could sneak out the door
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2
as in to get
to become affected with (a disease or disorder)
you'll catch the flu for sure if you don't get a shot
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3
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill
I caught myself just as I was about to step into the freshly poured concrete
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4
as in to secure
to put securely in place or in a desired position
caught back her hair with a barrette
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5
as in to know
to have a clear idea of
I didn't catch the point you were making about our nation's foreign policy
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6
as in to trick
to cause to believe what is untrue
a number of media outlets were caught by the woman's hard-luck story
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7
as in to encounter
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face
I'll catch you at the library tomorrow
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8
as in to notice
to make note of (something) through the use of one's eyes
I looked out the window just in time to catch the neighbor's dog digging up my flower bed
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9
as in to chase
to move fast enough to get even with
despite the suspect's considerable lead, the fleet-footed police officer was able to catch him and make an arrest
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1
as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the catch is that you have to come up with the money by tomorrow
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2
as in prize
someone or something unusually desirable
everyone thought the captain of the football team was a real catch
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3
as in haul
the total amount collected or obtained especially at one time
the total catch for our day at the creek was six fish and a crab
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of catch
CBS News, 6 Jan. 2026
At Oklahoma, Livingstone will be catching passes from John Mateer, who completed 62% of his passes for 2,885 yards in 2025, accumulating 14 touchdown passes to go with 11 interceptions.
—David Eckert, Austin American Statesman, 6 Jan. 2026
Abby Wolner, Better Homes & Gardens, 7 Jan. 2026
Clark produced 58 yards on 14 carries, along with two catches for 14 yards in four appearances.
—Edgar Thompson, The Orlando Sentinel, 7 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for catch
Verb
Cameras caught a clergy member sprinkling a little holy water on the Acrisure Stadium turf about two hours before kickoff on Sunday.
—Noun
Tidy the Kitchen Counter The kitchen counter can quickly become a catch-all for household clutter.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch
Verb
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Tri-State Fishing and Outdoor Show Don your camo gear and grab your fishing poles for the Tri-State Fishing and Outdoor Show.—
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The suspects, seen grabbing armfuls of merchandise during multiple rounds of theft, reportedly fled in a U-Haul truck, Lower Merion Police told Fox 29 Philadelphia.—
Verb
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Their noise got loudest at night when the city became quiet.—
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And Natalie is still justifiably concerned about her dad, calling him up during his night from hell and getting no information from him.—
Verb
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Several vehicles that stopped behind her appear to belong to federal agents, based on activity observed in other videos.—
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The prioritization for that new safety should probably be in coverage skills, because Moehrig and Ransom are known more for their run-stopping and tackling prowesses.—
Verb
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England play their last two World Cup qualifiers over the next eight days, against Serbia and Albania, but have already secured their place at the finals and preparations are underway for the tournament.—
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The collaboration aligns with Japan’s broader strategy to secure a domestic EV battery supply chain and reduce dependence on China and South Korea.—
Verb
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Elordi played Frankenstein's monster — known as the Creature — in this adaptation of the story, and he was also nominated at the Globes for his performance.—
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Other birds might have imprinted on humans and do not know how to hunt their own food.—
Verb
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One of the dangers of the Midwestern climate is a late-winter warm spell that thaws the soil and tricks bulbs and other plants into sprouting too early.—
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Ukraine orchestrated a fake hit on one of Russia's enemies who has fought alongside Ukrainian forces, tricking the Kremlin into paying out a $500,000 bounty Kyiv used to fund its war effort.—
Verb
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The most recent third season transported viewers to Thailand, where glamorous guests (played by Jason Isaacs, Parker Posey, Carrie Coon, Patrick Schwarzenegger, Walton Goggins, Aimee Lou Wood among many others) encountered enlightenment, spirituality and death.—
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Matt Damon stars as Odysseus, who hopes to return home to his wife (Anne Hathaway) after the Trojan War, but (famously), encounters a few obstacles.—
Verb
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The theft wasn't noticed until a store employee saw that the entire caviar section was empty, which led management to check their security cameras.—
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One game, Jordan Ross, his roommate, noticed that Jake was too late to rotate over on a double-team from the baseline side on a drive.—
Cite this Entry
“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
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