CATCHES Synonyms: 442 Similar and Opposite Words

catches 1 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of catch

as in grabs

to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly we tried to catch the kitten before she could sneak out the door

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Relevance

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as in gets

to become affected with (a disease or disorder) you'll catch the flu for sure if you don't get a shot

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as in stops

to bring (something) to a standstill I caught myself just as I was about to step into the freshly poured concrete

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as in secures

to put securely in place or in a desired position caught back her hair with a barrette

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as in knows

to have a clear idea of I didn't catch the point you were making about our nation's foreign policy

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as in deceives

to cause to believe what is untrue a number of media outlets were caught by the woman's hard-luck story

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as in encounters

to come upon face-to-face or as if face-to-face I'll catch you at the library tomorrow

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as in notices

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

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as in overtakes

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

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falls short

catches

2 of 2

noun

plural of catch

as in hitches

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

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as in prizes

someone or something unusually desirable everyone thought the captain of the football team was a real catch

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as in yields

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

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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 catches

Verb

The hefty cod and haddock catches from the chilled Arctic waters around Iceland are central to the national identity too. — ABC News, 29 Aug. 2026 Put simply, when banks sneeze, the rest of the financial system catches pneumonia. — Mayra Rodriguez Valladares, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026 Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity. — Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026 Freshman Jaylen Johnson catches a 9 yard touchdown pass from Deuce Woods and TFA takes an early 7–0 lead on Edgewater. — Buddy Collings, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Aug. 2026 Kurt's key takeaways What catches my attention here is how much effort went into hiding the origin of these attacks. — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026 One has always had a doctor who explained things patiently, and reads it as reassuring evidence that the system catches problems. — Aleeza Gerstein, The Conversation, 28 Aug. 2026 The result is a blonde that catches the light beautifully and feels naturally lived in. — Emma-Jade Stoddart, Glamour, 20 Aug. 2026 SpaceX has already pulled off such chopstick catches with Super Heavy on three of Starship's 13 suborbital test flights to date. — Mike Wall, Space.com, 20 Aug. 2026

Noun

Samuels added 102 yards on 12 carries and 45 yards on two catches. — Patrick Z. McGavin, Chicago Tribune, 29 Aug. 2026 Bell, a rookie fourth-round draft pick, also had seven catches for 49 yards. — CBS News, 28 Aug. 2026 The Illinois pledge tallied 176 yards and two scores on seven catches. — Charles Baggarly, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 28 Aug. 2026 Robinson had 56 catches for 1,081 receiving yards and five 120-yard receiving games, the most of any Power 4 receiver. — Bob Ferrante, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026 This is a healthy ranking for a player with only 34 career catches, but Becker was a revelation over the final two months of the 2025 season. — Dane Brugler, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026 Hale finished with seven catches for 159 yards and two touchdowns. — Caleb Otte, Los Angeles Times, 21 Aug. 2026 Then came two catches — the first to wide receiver AJ Henning for 20 yards followed by a 15-yarder to fellow wideout Malik Washington. — Miami Herald, 21 Aug. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catches

Verb

Before assisting Shoupe, Rafe grabs his gun, admits to killing Sheriff Peterkin and shares his regret for doing so.

— Kelly Allen, PEOPLE, 21 Aug. 2026
Kurt's key takeaways What grabs me about this story isn’t simply the fact that a robot was involved in eye surgery.

— Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of grabs

Verb

Some recalls, Eskin said, are made after companies’ routine testing catches a pathogen before anyone gets sick, while others involve outbreaks that are already underway and vary widely in size and severity.

— Dian Zhang, USA Today, 28 Aug. 2026
All cabins come with a firepit equipped with a grill grate and a picnic table, while upgrading to an outdoor suite gets you a tarp for shade lined with string lights and an extremely comfortable hammock.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of gets

Verb

The metalpoint tool sometimes slips or skitters; the fountain pen sometimes stops working—though, deprived of vision, the artist is unaware, and keeps drawing the now-invisible line.

— Jeffrey Weiss, Artforum, 1 Sep. 2026
There’s a tender, surprising moment of reconciliation in the novel’s final pages — the place where story stops.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of stops

Verb

Each of the four fold-out implements within the Helton chassis locks in place via a simple liner lock-style mechanism between the scales that secures the tool at the joint.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 1 Sep. 2026
The oil deal between the United States and Venezuela, which secures American access to more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuelan oil reserves, promises something both countries want.

— Tibisay Zea, Christian Science Monitor, 31 Aug. 2026

Definition of secures

Verb

The complaint also claims that the image deceives customers into thinking Lipa has endorsed the product and dilutes her brand identity.

— Mary Cunningham, CBS News, 11 May 2026
The fragmentary Ni 12501 tablet from the Early Dynastic III period of Mesopotamia breaks off when Fox deceives the inhabitants of the netherworld in his quest to retrieve the storm god Ishkur.

— Rafil Kroll-Zaidi, Harpers Magazine, 19 Sep. 2025

Definition of deceives

Verb

Throughout the journey, the conservationist, television host and executive producer encounters black bears, alligators and native fish while documenting active wildlife rescue and conservation efforts.

— Tanya Fedak, Variety, 1 Sep. 2026
Every leader eventually encounters a mountain that cannot be crossed through vision alone.

— Jason Bork, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of encounters

Verb

An investor sees the breadth divergence, watches the failed breakouts and notices the heavier down-volume, but then waits for a headline to confirm what the price data has already said.

— Thomas Hartmann, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Gretchen Nash notices when her kids toss produce into the trash instead of into the family’s compost bin.

— Emily Staunton, Christian Science Monitor, 2 Sep. 2026