catch 1 of 2

1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

catch

2 of 2

noun

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb catch contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of catch are bag, capture, ensnare, entrap, snare, and trap. While all these words mean "to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing," catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

Where would bag be a reasonable alternative to catch?

The words bag and catch are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

When is capture a more appropriate choice than catch?

While the synonyms capture and catch are close in meaning, capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

How are the words entrap and ensnare related as synonyms of catch?

Both entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question
a sting operation that ensnared burglars

How is trap related to other words for catch?

Trap, snare, entrap, and ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor. Trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals
snared butterflies with a net

Examples of catch in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
With just under three minutes left, down a score, Penn State running back Nicholas Singleton caught a touchdown to tie things up and force overtime. Issy Ronald and Jacob Lev, CNN, 13 Oct. 2024 Jennifer and her siblings grew up on TV sets, often starring alongside their famous father Jennifer and her siblings caught the acting bug at a young age. Emily Weaver, People.com, 13 Oct. 2024
Noun
One catch, however, is that the public does not know who sits on the experts’ group—all its members are anonymous, as is its chair. David D. Kirkpatrick, The New Yorker, 21 Oct. 2024 In the past three games, four of his eight catches have gone for either 20-plus or a touchdown. Parker Gabriel, The Denver Post, 19 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for catch 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'catch.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near catch

Cite this Entry

“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 4 Nov. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on catch

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!