catch 1 of 2

verb

ˈkach How to pronounce catch (audio)
Definition of catchnext
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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catch

2 of 2

noun

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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Synonym Chooser

How does the verb catch contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of catch are bag, capture, ensnare, entrap, snare, and trap. While all these words mean "to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing," catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

Where would bag be a reasonable alternative to catch?

The words bag and catch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

When is capture a more appropriate choice than catch?

While the synonyms capture and catch are close in meaning, capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

How are the words entrap and ensnare related as synonyms of catch?

Both entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question
a sting operation that ensnared burglars

How is trap related to other words for catch?

Trap, snare, entrap, and ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor. Trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals
snared butterflies with a net

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of catch
Verb
Alter ego As Garcia and J drove away from Fourth Street down Virginia Avenue, they were caught in a sudden storm known as a microburst. — Laura Tillman, Hartford Courant, 31 Aug. 2026 He was recruited out of high school as a wide receiver before switching to defensive back, and his pass-catching background gives him an edge tracking the ball. — Connor Dullinger, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
Noun
However, his four catches for 97 yards and one touchdown — including an incredibly athletic 52-yard grab — have his name in a good spot going into this period of uncertainty. — Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 29 Aug. 2026 Cleeland threw a 22-yard, catch-and-run touchdown to Laviel Picket with 27 seconds left. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch
  1. grab
  2. get
  3. stop
  4. secure
  5. know
  6. trick
  7. encounter
  8. notice
Verb
  • Mishka Wilonski had just grabbed pizza from a nearby shop and was walking outside with a friend when the crash happened.
    — Angel Saunders, PEOPLE, 1 Sep. 2026
  • Michael grabbed him, rushed out of the house, and blew through several red lights on the way to the hospital.
    — Ruby Cramer, New Yorker, 31 Aug. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • Police had initially tried to pull over Shelton's vehicle, a 2006 Honda Civic, near Rodney Parham Road and Mississippi Street, but the vehicle fled through several streets and got away, Little Rock police said in a news release.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Aug. 2026
  • The service got its name from the original Mechanical Turk, an 18th century chess-playing robot that was actually controlled by a human chess master.
    — Annie Palmer, CNBC, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of get
Verb
  • And, there are lots of studies out there that show many in my generation have stopped believing in the promise of the American Dream.
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • His government has implemented policies that slow energy permitting and development, canceled billions in grants for hundreds of clean energy projects and spent nearly $4 billion to buy back leases to stop offshore wind projects.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • BlackBerry sells encrypted and secure communications products to customers like governments.
    — Arjun Kharpal,Kai Nicol-Schwarz, CNBC, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The city of Atlanta has secured up to $50 million in philanthropic funding for Mayor Andre Dickens’ legacy project aimed at boosting development in historically underserved neighborhoods.
    — Shaddi Abusaid, AJC.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of secure
Verb
  • Arroyo and Weiss didn’t know that Link, a Vernon Hills Democrat, was cooperating with the FBI.
    — Jason Meisner, Chicago Tribune, 28 Aug. 2026
  • But the two men also know some individuals can delay the inevitable for years far beyond the norm.
    — Jay Posner, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • In many cases, the robot tail wags the living dog by tricking it—tricking us—into caring about obscure metrics, then gamifying the process of improving them.
    — Hillary Busis, Vanity Fair, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Children were taken by tricking mothers, who were told their baby had died during childbirth.
    — Ashoka, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • Those who make the pilgrimage to Temple Square will encounter a host of other attractions and activities, including new exhibits, live concerts and video projections on the ceiling of the tabernacle.
    — Brandon Griggs, CNN Money, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The growing use of digital channels has made communication another part of how prospective patients encounter a medical practice.
    — Connie Etemadi, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of encounter
Verb
  • The scholar of religion Friedrich Max Müller (1823–1900) noticed that many Vedic hymns praise different deities using the same superlatives and ascribe to them the same mythological feats.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 28 Aug. 2026
  • These wild swings in the numbers came while residents here didn’t notice any change to the slow but steady arrival of newcomers in dilapidated coaches.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of notice

Phrases Containing catch

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catcalls
catch
catch-22
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Cite this Entry

“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on catch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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