catch up

Definition of catch upnext
1
as in to trap
to catch or hold as if in a net a young idealist who got caught up in the political fanaticism of the times

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

2
as in to fascinate
to hold the attention of as if by a spell completely caught up in opera ever since he saw La Traviata

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
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Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of catch up Ferrari has its hopes pinned on the Additional Development and Upgrade Opportunities, or ADUO, a process that allows engines more than 2 percent behind the competition to make performance upgrades to catch up. Jonathan M. Gitlin, ArsTechnica, 29 May 2026 Girl gangs are showing up in droves, Johnson said, to sit at her pink bar and catch up. Kansas City Star, 29 May 2026 Second, while the US was the global leader in this technological revolution, China rapidly caught up to rival US dominance, especially in AI. Literary Hub, 28 May 2026 Town Council President Zack Beaver said state laws, in regard to the regulation of electric bicycles, haven’t caught up. Deborah Laverty, Chicago Tribune, 28 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for catch up
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch up
Verb
  • Shakespeare’s comedies especially understand the joy of watching people get trapped in schemes and plots well beyond their control.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 2 June 2026
  • Seven men in search of gold were trapped in the mazelike cave network in Xaisomboun province more than a week ago when heavy rain and flash flooding blocked the only entrance.
    Janis Mackey Frayer, NBC news, 1 June 2026
Verb
  • The combined disgust, discomfort, ignorance, and fascination with our Indigeneity that unsettled my aunties and fascinated my cousins made more sense to me.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
  • While the remote learning time during the COVID pandemic was challenging for many students, Ashlyn Duran used it to learn more about a subject that fascinated her.
    Amy Stark Shireman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • What seems to interest Yamashita most is the awful experience of guessing how to answer the questions.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 28 May 2026
  • Some plants don’t interest them as much, especially plants with hairy or fuzzy leaves or that are strongly scented.
    Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Over its run the series saw the sudden departure of several notable creative collaborators, including photographer Petra Collins, whose aesthetic informed the first season, and Labrinth, whose music channeled the show’s emotional throughlines for two seasons.
    CT Jones, Rolling Stone, 2 June 2026
  • This article is meant to inform the general reader and is not a substitute for medical advice from a physician or nutritional advice from a dietitian and/or nutritionist.
    Samantha Agate, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Representative Mike Collins and former football coach Derek Dooley are tangled in a bitter contest that’s headed to a runoff on June 16.
    Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 29 May 2026
  • The design allows the LCS to operate in shallower coastal waters and avoid getting tangled in wires or cables, like those that might tether mines.
    Brad Lendon, CNN Money, 28 May 2026
Verb
  • Then take a ride on Shrek & Fiona’s Happily Ogre After to hear how an ogre and a princess were enchanted by love.
    Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 28 May 2026
  • But Crowther’s sleuthing determines that Joyce’s novel was a regular companion of hers, and she was particularly enchanted with Molly Bloom’s closing soliloquy.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 25 May 2026
Verb
  • While occupying the catwalk, contestants were allowed three ten-minute breaks and a twenty-minute shower each day.
    Jonathan Odden, Artforum, 2 June 2026
  • The hotel occupies 12 floors of a 42-story tower, offering 277 guest rooms and suites along with 15,000 square feet of event space.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • Please tell us the bathroom won’t let us down.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 June 2026
  • For Democrats who had a similar reaction in real time, but who spent months being told by the Biden campaign that their concerns were overblown, her remarks landed like a gut punch.
    Ana Ceballos Follow, Los Angeles Times, 31 May 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Catch up.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch%20up. Accessed 7 Jun. 2026.

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