CAUGHT ON (TO) Synonyms: 89 Similar and Opposite Words

caught on (to)

verb

past tense of catch on (to)

as in realized

to come to an awareness of she caught on to the fact that they were planning a surprise party

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

as in understood

to have a clear idea of he finally caught on to the concept of phototaxis

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for caught on (to)

Verb

The pillars of maintaining safe and secure facilities and preparing people for reentry can only be realized if the Bureau of Prisons is provided the necessary resources.

— Scott Peyton, Washington Post, 8 Oct. 2026
Kearns realized along the way that his path to stardom wouldn’t be so simple.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 8 Oct. 2026

Definition of realized

Verb

Amidst all the turmoil, everyone understood that the March 5 election was a make-or-break moment not only for the Hitler chancellorship but for democracy itself.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026
Dave 1 understood the instinct immediately, even when the results took him by surprise.

— Isabela Raygoza, Billboard, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of understood

Verb

David Smith, an amateur mathematician, discovered that shape.

— Rachel Crowell, Scientific American, 12 Oct. 2026
According to Ibrahim, the market primarily serves Arab, Middle Eastern, Indian and Asian customers, though American shoppers have increasingly discovered the shop as well.

— Sara Rosenthal, Denver Post, 11 Oct. 2026

Definition of discovered

Verb

Just 20% of Gen Z knew their exact interest rate on their credit debt—the lowest of any generation and well below baby boomers.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 10 Oct. 2026
Omani officials knew of al-Hammami’s interest in radical Islamism but failed to flag their concerns; flydubai never checked his record with the Omani authorities.

— The Week UK, TheWeek, 10 Oct. 2026

Definition of knew

Verb

In the background, a crowd can be heard voicing anger and dismay at the shooting.

— Louis Casiano, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2026
Their mother, Janet, heard their laughter and popped into the room—the downstairs den, refitted with a hospital bed—and asked what was so funny.

— Via Scribner, Literary Hub, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of heard

Verb

Curie's initial Nobel was for physics, but the second, for chemistry in 1911, recognized her work on polonium and the isolation of pure radium.

— Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 7 Oct. 2026
He is recognized as the teen prodigy who went missing a decade prior, and his return as an up-and-coming conductor is heralded.

— Kayti Burt, Time, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of recognized

Verb

Investigators learned that Hellewell had offered to walk home with one of her male friends, who’d become overly intoxicated.

— Natasha Holt, FOXNews.com, 10 Oct. 2026
Church and law enforcement officials first learned of the allegations in 2018, and the Vatican in 2021 forced Saunders to retire at age 71, four years early.

— ABC News, ABC News, 9 Oct. 2026

Definition of learned

Verb

But a more apt comparison might be the Mirabilia Urbis Romae, in which Medieval scholars deciphered the staggering ruins of Classical Rome.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 29 Sep. 2026
Re-creating the Herculaneum scrolls To date, one entire scroll and passages from others have been deciphered, largely thanks to the Vesuvius Challenge, a project launched in 2023 that encourages researchers to decode scrolls for cash prizes.

— Taylor Nicioli, CNN Money, 22 Sep. 2026

Definition of deciphered

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

caught one's eye

caught on (to)

caught up

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“Caught on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/caught%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 13 Oct. 2026.

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Synonyms of caught on (to)

verb

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