: intended to catch up to a theoretical norm or a competitor's accomplishments
: the act or fact of catching up or trying to catch up (as with a norm or competitor)
had to play catch-up
also
: an increase intended to achieve catch-up
caught up; catching up; catches up
1
2
: to provide with the latest information
catch me up on the news
1
a
: to travel fast enough to overtake an advance party
The soldier ran to catch up with his unit.
b
: to reach a state of parity (see parity sense 1) or of being able to cope
students who miss class have difficulty catching up
2
: to bring about arrest for illicit activities
the police caught up with the thieves
3
a
: to complete or compensate (see compensate sense 1) for something belatedly
catch up on lost sleep
b
: to acquire belated information
catch up on the news
Examples of catchup in a Sentence
Verb
a young idealist who got caught up in the political fanaticism of the times
completely caught up in opera ever since he saw La Traviata
Recent Examples on the Web
Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Recently, during a weekly catch-up call with her brother, Mike Miraldi, the topic of fall in Ohio came up.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2023
Next week's rain potential has shifted slower, so the deficit should grow until potential activity Thu-Sat for a stronger catch-up attempt.
—David Streit, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2023
Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Green card holders like Gomez have been caught up in the deportation effort, too, including Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was incarcerated by ICE for months.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catchup
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
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Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
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Adjective
But starting in 2026, for anyone earning more than $145,000 in the previous year, these catch-up contributions will no longer be tax-deferred.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 29 Oct. 2025
Recently, during a weekly catch-up call with her brother, Mike Miraldi, the topic of fall in Ohio came up.
—Jordan Greene, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025
Noun
Those 55 and older can contribute an additional $1,000 as a catch-up contribution.
—Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 17 Mar. 2023
Next week's rain potential has shifted slower, so the deficit should grow until potential activity Thu-Sat for a stronger catch-up attempt.
—David Streit, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2023
Verb
Now, those years of financial favoritism have caught up to her parents.
—Ashley Vega, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Green card holders like Gomez have been caught up in the deportation effort, too, including Palestinian student activist Mahmoud Khalil, who was incarcerated by ICE for months.
—Zoe Sottile, CNN Money, 25 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for catchup
Cite this Entry
“Catchup.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catchup. Accessed 31 Oct. 2025.
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