1
as in infectious
capable of being passed by physical contact from one person to another
a cold is often catching before the symptoms even begin
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2
as in spreading
exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others
a catching smile that instantly puts patients at ease
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1
as in grabbing
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 getting
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 stopping
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 securing
to put securely in place or in a desired position
caught back her hair with a barrette
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5
as in knowing
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 tricking
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 encountering
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 noticing
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 chasing
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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Cite this Entry
“Catching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.
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