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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in spreading
exciting a similar feeling or reaction in others
a catching smile that instantly puts patients at ease
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of catching
Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2025
The Orioles could also refuse to trade their top-ranked catching prospect.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
David Matthews, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2025
The closer to dusk the better for catching this alignment; Mercury will stay up for less than an hour after sunset.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catching
Adjective
Just really taking my game to the next level: in the film room and on the field, catching, hand-eye coordination, route-running, everything.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 25 Mar. 2025
The Orioles could also refuse to trade their top-ranked catching prospect.
—Mark Davis, Newsweek, 16 Mar. 2025
Verb
An American Airlines plane was evacuated after catching fire on the tarmac at a Denver airport Thursday evening.
—David Matthews, New York Daily News, 13 Mar. 2025
The closer to dusk the better for catching this alignment; Mercury will stay up for less than an hour after sunset.
—Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 1 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catching
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching
Adjective
-
Individuals are infectious four days prior to and four days after rash onset.—
Matt Leclercq,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
18 Apr. 2025
-
Individuals are likely infectious four days prior to and after rash onset.—
Bonny Chu,
FOXNews.com,
16 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Knowing defensive back is a glaring need, especially with the release of Jack Jones, is trading back and grabbing someone like Jahdae Barron while acquiring another second-round pick worth considering?—
Vic Tafur,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Miley has taken a leaner approach the past few years, only grabbing one jersey and leaving the rest in his locker for the clubhouse workers to donate or disperse.—
Brittany Ghiroli,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
The case stemmed from a Groveland police officer in September 2020 stopping a Lyft car for speeding and tag lights that weren’t working.—
Jim Saunders,
Sun Sentinel,
8 Jan. 2025
-
What’s stopping organizations from reaping the benefits of AI right now?—
Jesse Todd,
Forbes,
8 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
More attention to be applied to Zero Trust risk management strategies, from vulnerability assessments and securing code from production throughout the life cycle.—
Chuck Brooks,
Forbes,
24 Dec. 2024
-
Combine this with other measures—such as freezing ChexSystems, locking your Social Security number, and securing your SSA account—to build a comprehensive shield against identity theft.—
Alex Vakulov,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
Verb
-
April 3 after a resident in the 9400 block of Parkside Avenue reported encountering an armed individual in his backyard.—
Dennis Sullivan,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Apr. 2025
-
Today, vaccine coverage is widespread enough that unvaccinated children can easily live to adulthood without ever encountering the virus, but not uniformly high enough to prevent outbreaks altogether.—
Sarah Zhang,
The Atlantic,
7 Apr. 2025
Adjective
-
Measles outbreaks erupted in the U.S. this year because a highly communicable virus, sometimes circulating abroad, infected a rising population of unvaccinated Americans as well as some visitors from abroad who traveled in this country.—
Alexis Simendinger,
The Hill,
13 Mar. 2025
-
Hanage foresees wastewater analysis being used to track other communicable viruses, like mpox.—
Chris Stokel-Walker,
WIRED,
4 Oct. 2024
Verb
-
Anyone can fall ill after contracting the virus, but the risk of severe illness is higher for people who are younger than five or older than 65.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
4 Jan. 2025
-
Any viral outbreak poses a public health risk, particularly for children and older people who may be more vulnerable to contracting serious illnesses when affected.—
Dan Perry,
Newsweek,
4 Jan. 2025
Verb
-
But halting her work now would mean skipping a final assessment for at least 20 people, to check their viral load and determine their next course of treatment.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2025
-
Even if researchers are able to cobble together the funds to help their participants exit trials safely, halting studies early could still nullify the contributions of the people who enrolled.—
Katherine J. Wu,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Catching.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching. Accessed 25 Apr. 2025.
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