catching on (to)

verb

present participle of catch on (to)
1
as in realizing
to come to an awareness of she caught on to the fact that they were planning a surprise party

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in knowing
to have a clear idea of he finally caught on to the concept of phototaxis

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catching on (to)
  1. realizing
  2. knowing
  3. discovering
  4. understanding
  5. seeing
  6. deciphering
  7. hearing
  8. recognizing
Verb
  • Potential obstacles to realizing this future AI growth — whether that's tight memory supply and high prices, or political backlash to data centers — may come up on the call.
    — Kevin Stankiewicz,Zev Fima, CNBC, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Organizations are realizing that in the age of AI, their data has near-endless potential, and IT leaders are seeking ways to establish stricter governance over how it is shared and used across their infrastructure.
    — Pavel Bykov, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of realizing
Verb
  • Bob Howell, executive vice president and chief sales officer at Manhattan Associates, said Boscov’s has a proud history of knowing their customers and communities.
    — Arthur Zaczkiewicz, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
  • There is no way of knowing whether other district court judges will rule, as Valenzuela did, on the question of funding connected to Title IX.
    — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of knowing
Verb
  • Take a breather by the beach, where days are made for lingering on golden sands, discovering hidden coves, and relaxing to the tune of the rolling Mediterranean tide.
    — Condé Nast Traveler, Condé Nast Traveler, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Europe continues to be an incredible source of inspiration for our design team, from collecting vintage and sourcing fabrics and prints to discovering local markets, artisans and craftsmanship.
    — Lisa Lockwood, Footwear News, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of discovering
Verb
  • Following the analytics in this way isn’t all that different from what many media organizations do; understanding the audience is perhaps the most fundamental aspect of longevity in media.
    — Max Tani, semafor.com, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The challenge is finding it and understanding why those earlier decisions were made.
    — Beth Worthy, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of understanding
Verb
  • Lisa is seeing what this experience could be for her, which only emphasized just how bad her current situation on RHOSLC is.
    — Tom Smyth, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Domagal-Goldman compared Roman’s capabilities to capturing an all-encompassing view of a forest as well as seeing sharp details of its trees, like leaves and birds, all at the same time.
    — Ashley Strickland, CNN Money, 30 Aug. 2026
Definition of seeing
Verb
  • And navigating a website might involve deciphering images or knowing what links to click.
    — Jennifer D. Kobrin, The Conversation, 25 Aug. 2026
  • The prevention of future pandemics relies on information from previous outbreaks, which is one reason why deciphering the origins of the COVID-19 began is important.
    — Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 25 Aug. 2026
Definition of deciphering
Verb
  • Indeed, in May the lower court hearing the MiniMax case declined to accept MiniMax’s defense on this basis.
    — Schuyler Moore, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2026
  • Isabel’s journey is one of awakening and remembering the past, seeing it and hearing it.
    — Jazz Tangcay, Variety, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of hearing
Verb
  • States are moving toward recognizing digital and other nontraditional wills.
    — Bob Carlson, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Hilton said in some cases, women may begin recognizing ADHD symptoms in themselves after becoming mothers and having their children evaluated for the condition.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
Definition of recognizing
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 one's eye
catching on (to)
catching up
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Catching on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catching%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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