catch on
verb
caught on; catching on; catches on
1
: to become aware : learn
2
: to become popular
this idea has already caught on
Synonyms
Examples of catch on in a Sentence
she caught on to the fact that they were planning a surprise party
he finally caught on to the concept of phototaxis
Recent Examples on the Web
Collier said while everyone else is now catching on to the rise of women’s sports, sports figures were early to recognize the value of the industry.
—
Russell Leung, CNBC, 17 Jan. 2025
Firefighters in the Bronx worked to save an apartment complex that caught on fire.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
That incident was caught on video that shocked the city.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2025
The former never caught on with audiences, who found its story incoherent, while the latter, a road trip movie starring Richard Farnsworth, was better-received critically but also failed financially, despite landing its lead an Oscar nomination.
—Stephen Galloway, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for catch on 
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.
Russell Leung, CNBC, 17 Jan. 2025
Firefighters in the Bronx worked to save an apartment complex that caught on fire.
—Saleen Martin, USA TODAY, 16 Jan. 2025
That incident was caught on video that shocked the city.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 16 Jan. 2025
The former never caught on with audiences, who found its story incoherent, while the latter, a road trip movie starring Richard Farnsworth, was better-received critically but also failed financially, despite landing its lead an Oscar nomination.
—Stephen Galloway, The Hollywood Reporter, 16 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for catch on
Dictionary Entries Near catch on
Cite this Entry
“Catch on.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catch%20on. Accessed 23 Jan. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share