catch 1 of 2

verb

ˈkach How to pronounce catch (audio)
Definition of catchnext
1
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly we tried to catch the kitten before she could sneak out the door

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to get
to become affected with (a disease or disorder) you'll catch the flu for sure if you don't get a shot

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to stop
to bring (something) to a standstill I caught myself just as I was about to step into the freshly poured concrete

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to secure
to put securely in place or in a desired position caught back her hair with a barrette

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
5
as in to know
to have a clear idea of I didn't catch the point you were making about our nation's foreign policy

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
6
as in to trick
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 to encounter
to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face I'll catch you at the library tomorrow

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
8
as in to notice
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
as in prize
someone or something unusually desirable everyone thought the captain of the football team was a real catch

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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

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
Verb
Tight end Kari Ashley caught a 13-yard touchdown and finished with 108 yards, and now leads all FBS tight ends with 374 receiving yards, per StatMuse. — Steven Johnson. Story Produced With Ai Assistance, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Oct. 2026 Even now, the reality of motherhood can catch her by surprise. — Olivia Laborde, AJC.com, 5 Oct. 2026
Noun
The Texans were facing third-and-14 when a hook-and-ladder play with a 2-yard catch by Dalton Schultz and a 19-yard run by David Montgomery set up that score. — Arkansas Online, 5 Oct. 2026 But what was that invalid-fair-catch penalty on his next attempt? — Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 5 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for catch
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch
  1. grab
  2. get
  3. stop
  4. secure
  5. know
  6. trick
  7. encounter
  8. notice
Verb
  • Two teenage suspects, ages 14 and 15, allegedly grabbed a necklace from the victim’s neck after walking by them, according to police.
    — Camryn Dadey, Sacbee.com, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Or, just head down to one of the bars by the pool or grab a fresh juice.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • As the day winds down, get cozy in the living room for a game of cards and a glass of South African wine, or watch the sun set from the stone terrace.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 8 Oct. 2026
  • Each of the six main suspects get their chance to give their version of events on the day of Jodie’s death, effectively supplying their own alibis.
    — Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 8 Oct. 2026
Definition of get
Verb
  • Boulder is not trying to regulate greenhouse gas emissions or stop the companies from continuing to produce oil and gas, Russell said.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Oct. 2026
  • Service is incredibly attentive and personable; everyone will want to stop and chat throughout the day.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
Definition of stop
Verb
  • The bet runs against the massive investment pouring into AI infrastructure, as technology companies race to secure the computing power needed to develop and run increasingly advanced AI models.
    — Jenny Lee, CNBC, 7 Oct. 2026
  • But equally rewarding are works by artists who are still being discovered, who haven’t already secured their place in art history.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 7 Oct. 2026
Definition of secure
Verb
  • Can the letter writer let sister know her fuss over food and product choices for 4-year-old nephew is hard to watch?
    — Carolyn Hax, Washington Post, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Speaking of nail-biters, Marisa Berenson, better known for her roles in front of the camera, is in the process of putting together her own movie project.
    — Alex Wynne, Footwear News, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • RatHat relies heavily on tricking someone into installing a malicious Android app and approving powerful permissions.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • In 1943, the British intelligence service, MI6, came up with a wacky strategy to trick Adolf Hitler into thinking the Allies planned to invade Greece and Sardinia (not true) instead of Sicily (true), which Nazi Germany was heavily defending.
    — Chris Jones, Chicago Tribune, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of trick
Verb
  • Public employees can encounter agency-specific procedures, while unionized workers may have grievance requirements established through collective bargaining.
    — William Jones, Sacbee.com, 2 Oct. 2026
  • Audiences can expect natural richness, such as underwater images of glistening shellfish, to encounter ecological dread.
    — Georg Szalai, HollywoodReporter, 2 Oct. 2026
Definition of encounter
Verb
  • The costumers have done a great job of supporting the characters; the soundtrack music, by Oli Julian, is unusual enough to notice without overwhelming the action.
    — Robert Lloyd, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • One of the homeowners noticed damage to a window screen four days later and contacted police.
    — Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 Oct. 2026
Definition of notice

Phrases Containing catch

Browse Nearby Words

catcalls
catch
catch-22
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Catch.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch. Accessed 9 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

More from Merriam-Webster on catch

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about catch

Love words? Need even more definitions?

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

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Exceptions of '-s' and '-es' Plurals

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

7 Words for Bad Endings and Rough Situations

The Words of the Week - Oct. 9

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All