1
as in risk
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the drug lowers cholesterol, but the catch-22 is that it mainly lowers good cholesterol
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2
as in dilemma
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
the catch-22 faced by every first-time loan applicant: how to get a loan without a credit history
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3
as in problem
a situation in which one has to choose between two or more equally unsatisfactory choices
an environmental catch-22: building wind farms results in scenic eyesores; not building wind farms results in greater pollution from fossil fuels
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of catch-22
Granted, there’s a catch-22 situation at play here.
—
Daniel Nugent-Bowman, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
The catch-22 is that Gordon arguably shouldn’t be doubling up on roles too much this early in the season — especially in the immediate aftermath of his own injury.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2024
This lopsided ecosystem of ultra-rich tech moguls battling each other has enriched Nvidia while forcing application developers into a catch-22 of either using a low-cost and low-performance model bound to disappoint users, or face paying exorbitant inference costs and risk going bankrupt.
—Kai-Fu Lee, WIRED, 26 Nov. 2024
Select the right seat People who deal with migraines tend to be ultra-sensitive to motion sickness, which is a catch-22 because motion sickness can trigger an attack.
—Cheyenne Buckingham, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for catch-22
Daniel Nugent-Bowman, The Athletic, 30 Dec. 2024
The catch-22 is that Gordon arguably shouldn’t be doubling up on roles too much this early in the season — especially in the immediate aftermath of his own injury.
—Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 7 Dec. 2024
This lopsided ecosystem of ultra-rich tech moguls battling each other has enriched Nvidia while forcing application developers into a catch-22 of either using a low-cost and low-performance model bound to disappoint users, or face paying exorbitant inference costs and risk going bankrupt.
—Kai-Fu Lee, WIRED, 26 Nov. 2024
Select the right seat People who deal with migraines tend to be ultra-sensitive to motion sickness, which is a catch-22 because motion sickness can trigger an attack.
—Cheyenne Buckingham, Condé Nast Traveler, 19 Nov. 2024
See All Example Sentences for catch-22
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch-22
Noun
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Participants’ risk of insomnia went up by 59% for each additional hour of screen time in bed, too.2 Is One Screen Activity Worse For Your Sleep Than Others?—
Simon Spichak,
Health,
1 Apr. 2025
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Regardless of the veracity of the cable-cutter reports, Chinese technological advances that can be used for military purposes pose inherent risks.—
Jill Goldenziel,
Forbes.com,
1 Apr. 2025
Noun
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The Role of Blockchain Technology and AI This ethical and creative dilemma could find a promising resolution through blockchain technology.—
Sandy Carter,
Forbes.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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The frustrated bride shared her story on Reddit, detailing her dilemma in a March 22 post on a forum dedicated to wedding planning — and asking for any advice about how to proceed.—
Bailey Richards,
People.com,
27 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Melissa Rivers reflects on losing her home in LA wildfires Luckily, the ceremony went on without a hitch Saturday, with the pair exchanging vows in front of 150 guests, People reports.—
Anna Kaufman,
USA TODAY,
20 Mar. 2025
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Comments Gal Gadot's star ceremony, her induction into the Hollywood Walk of Fame, did not go off without a hitch.—
Raechal Shewfelt,
EW.com,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Chantelle and Kelly, two flight attendants on vacation in the U.K., spoke to Newsweek about their unique predicament.—
Thomas G. Moukawsher,
Newsweek,
21 Mar. 2025
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In the Heat’s case, the franchise’s unfortunate predicament stems mostly from personnel decisions involving veteran players, decisions largely made by team president Pat Riley with input from several others.—
Barry Jackson,
Miami Herald,
19 Mar. 2025
Noun
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Hiring veterans with clearances in place allows companies to fast-track onboarding and avoid compliance pitfalls.—
Emil Sayegh,
Forbes,
21 Mar. 2025
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Another common pitfall is using dessert as a bribe.—
Sherri Gordon,
Parents,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
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The sammy was a flavorful surprise, with a noticeably strong pickle and a soft pretzel bun.—
Erin Alberty,
Axios,
25 Mar. 2025
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Seafood trim is used to enrich stocks and sauces, and housemade pickles and ferments reduce waste while adding layers of brightness to our dishes.—
Chelsea Davis,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
Noun
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After that, everything basically fell into place, apart from one big snag: The rear fan was too close to the motherboard tray to slide our motherboard over the case’s standoffs without scraping; the I/O connectors' top cover got in the way.—
PCMAG,
PCMAG,
2 Mar. 2025
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Barring those snags, at this price, the Razr 2024 is a good way to test the folding-phone waters without breaking the bank.—
Julian Chokkattu,
WIRED,
28 Feb. 2025
Noun
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Conklin, 29, has had at least 50 catches in each of the last four seasons and could help boost an offense that still is looking for weapons to pair with quarterback Justin Herbert.—
Thuc Nhi Nguyen,
Los Angeles Times,
21 Mar. 2025
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The vessels would stay at sea for months, with supply ships coming to deliver fuel and retrieve the ship’s catch – a common process in deep-sea fishing known as transshipment – leaving the men isolated and cut off from help.—
Lex Harvey,
CNN,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Catch-22.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch-22. Accessed 3 Apr. 2025.
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