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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Cite this Entry
“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.
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