CATCHING UP (WITH) Synonyms: 10 Similar and Opposite Words

catching up (with)

verb

present participle of catch up (with)

as in catching

to move fast enough to get even with I walked faster to catch up with my friends

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

falling short

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching up (with)

Verb

The Braves scored the next three touchdowns for a 21-7 halftime lead, with Maliq Allen getting a one-yard touchdown run, DJ Tubbs catching a six-yard touchdown pass, and Moaalii making a 21-yard touchdown catch.

— Eric Sondheimer, Los Angeles Times, 10 Oct. 2026
Other days included yoga and stretching, catching hundreds of balls on the Jugs machine or recovering at Kollective, a social performance club in Austin.

— Sam Jane, Denver Post, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of catching

Verb

International funding, Patil says, means long waits, complicated contracts and co-production treaties, and Indian filmmakers end up chasing the same grants as professionals from wealthier countries.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 12 Oct. 2026
The company said its problems would not be solved by chasing unhealthy sales volume or short-term revenue.

— Ryan Baker, CNBC, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of chasing

Verb

Pants that hang off the hips in a very low-effort way are overtaking high-rise jeans in popularity.

— Bianca Kratky, Glamour, 8 Oct. 2026
Based on his observations thus far, Spasojevic believes the burros could play an important role in the local ecosystem by grazing on non-native grasses and preventing them from overtaking native plants.

— Clara Harter, Los Angeles Times, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of overtaking

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.

Browse Nearby Words

catching up

catching up (with)

catch on

See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

Style

“Catching up (with).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching%20up%20%28with%29. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation

Synonyms of catching up (with)

verb

Example Sentences

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

More from Merriam-Webster

Word of the Day

abscond

Popular in Grammar & Usage

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'?

Popular in Wordplay

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

Why do we call it a 'flea market'?

Popular

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

The Real Origin of 'Supercalifragilistic'

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Games & Quizzes