How to Use catch-up in a Sentence

catch-up

1 of 2 adjective
Definition of catch-upnext
  • Last night was a return to normalcy for SNL, and a game of catch-up.
    — Esther Zuckerman, The Atlantic, 12 Nov. 2023
  • Thompson returned an on-side kick 7 yards for a score as the Rattlers tried to play catch-up.
    — Richard Obert, The Arizona Republic, 8 Apr. 2023
  • Practice was coming to a close, but not before a water break and catch-up with friends.
    — Karina Elwood, Washington Post, 7 Oct. 2023
  • There could be an element of catch-up involved as well.
    — Chris Morris, Fortune, 24 July 2023
  • Adding to the complexity of the math catch-up challenge is debate over how the subject should be taught.
    — Ariel Gilreath, al, 29 Aug. 2023
  • With the poor shooting first half — only four field goals made —putting them in catch-up mode, the Eagles’ valiant rally feel short.
    — Glenn Graham, Baltimore Sun, 13 Feb. 2024
  • Ryan Reynolds and his brother Terry had an unplanned catch-up.
    — Tommy McArdle, Peoplemag, 25 Oct. 2023
  • All said, the catch-up payments stand to be a huge boon to gig workers and delivery drivers throughout the state.
    — Brian Merchant, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2023
  • The time off can be used for academic catch-up or enrichment.
    — Howard Blume, Los Angeles Times, 4 May 2023
  • What was supposed to be a quick catch-up turned into a delightful two-hour reunion.
    — Robyn Mowatt, Essence, 6 Mar. 2024
  • Vanderbilt used the first-half momentum to extend its second-half lead by forcing the Tigers to play a game of catch-up.
    — Jaden Lewis, Kansas City Star, 3 Feb. 2024
  • Some of this stuff isn’t from this week, so consider this more of a while-you-were-holidaying catch-up issue.
    — David Pierce, The Verge, 7 Jan. 2024
  • Millions of Americans may lose a chance to make a catch-up contribution next year.
    — Medora Lee, USA TODAY, 25 July 2023
  • The email volley shifted the weekend vibe from a quick catch-up in pajama pants to something akin to a regular workday.
    — Anne Marie Chaker, WSJ, 31 Mar. 2023
  • Store 8 was created when Walmart was scrambling to catch-up with Amazon.
    — Andrew Binns, Forbes, 19 Feb. 2024
  • Drillers have historically walked away from wells at rates greater than the number of wells plugged, leaving the state in a perpetual game of catch-up.
    — Lisa Cavazuti, NBC News, 19 Aug. 2023
  • Weeknights are spent at work happy hours and catch-up dinners with friends, while your weekends are booked up with weddings and family trips.
    — Addison Aloian, Women's Health, 3 July 2023
  • But that return to learning and that catch-up didn’t happen quickly enough, and the result was a wobbly foundation that led to worsening gaps.
    — Alia Wong, USA TODAY, 11 July 2023
  • Jason Bateman and his former Ozark costar Julia Garner having a catch-up.
    — Lindsay Kimble, Peoplemag, 8 Jan. 2024
  • As part of that catch-up, hundreds of thousands of units debuted last year, with another million slated for 2024.
    — Rachel Siegel, Washington Post, 3 Mar. 2024
  • With the tournament in catch-up mode because of hours-long fog delays on Thursday morning, the afternoon half of the draw had no chance of finishing on Friday.
    — Tim Price, ajc, 1 Apr. 2023
  • Two weeks ago, the King and Sunak exchanged a phone call, which was more of a catch-up than the formal audience that the monarch and prime minister traditionally hold weekly.
    — Simon Perry, Peoplemag, 21 Feb. 2024
  • Two weeks ago, the King and Sunak exchanged a phone call, which was more of a catch-up than the formal audience that the monarch and prime minister traditionally hold weekly.
    — Janine Henni, Peoplemag, 22 Feb. 2024
  • That leaves women in the same unenviable position, playing a hapless game of catch-up as the status quo remains.
    — Jane Thier, Fortune, 5 Oct. 2023
  • People do that, turning striking into a catch-up at Runyon.
    — Anonymous, The Hollywood Reporter, 12 May 2023
  • Find out if your retirement account offers catch-up contributions, and if so, be sure to take full advantage.
    — Nina Derwin, Woman's Day, 5 June 2023
  • Wondering how much of a difference that catch-up contribution could make?
    — Becca Stanek, The Week, 26 July 2023
  • Even though no one under the age of 40 watches just about anything on broadcast television, and even on catch-up digital platforms, there is still an audience there.
    — Vulture, 2 May 2023
  • Unicef is urging countries to implement a catch-up vaccination blitz, an exceptional, one-time program to reach all the children between the ages of 1 and 4 who were missed.
    — Stephanie Nolen, New York Times, 25 Nov. 2023
  • In more casual circumstances, like a catch-up between close colleagues, drafting an email during a meeting may be acceptable.
    — Danielle Abril, Washington Post, 4 Dec. 2023
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catch up

2 of 2 verb
  • Overnight, the roots catch up and the leaves get perky again.
    — Nan Sterman, San Diego Union-Tribune, 3 Sep. 2022
  • That wasn’t the first or last time Shay was caught up with a big name.
    — Liza Esquibias, People.com, 13 Dec. 2024
  • There was this path, the train was going, and then the world caught up with us.
    — Alan Sepinwall, Rolling Stone, 26 Oct. 2024
  • Don’t be afraid to reach out to them for a call or a cup of coffee to catch up.
    — Caitlin Pagán, Verywell Health, 10 Aug. 2023
  • Crafton got caught up in a wreck near Sanchez during the truck race.
    — Ryan Gaydos, Fox News, 1 Oct. 2023
  • High prices and wages are now trying to catch up to those high prices.
    — CBS News, 31 July 2022
  • But everyone seemed too caught up in the snacks and clothes to care.
    — Katie Toussaint, Charlotte Observer, 31 Jan. 2024
  • Size has yet to catch up to the Wakefield football team.
    — Jake Levin, BostonGlobe.com, 29 Nov. 2022
  • At some point this is going to catch up to the Horned Frogs, but it's been a ton of fun to watch.
    — Ralph D. Russo, ajc, 6 Nov. 2022
  • One of the men was caught up in the avalanche and carried around 150 yards before he was buried by the snow.
    — Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 26 Dec. 2024
  • But Steichen was quick to point out that his team can’t get too caught up in the what-ifs.
    — James Boyd, The Athletic, 24 Dec. 2024
  • But states have been slow to catch up with these new drug products.
    — Eric Berger, Chicago Tribune, 7 Nov. 2022
  • Still, in April, Wallen’s vocal load caught up with him.
    — Melinda Newman, Billboard, 6 Dec. 2023
  • Already, Rashad had flunked out of eighth grade and gone to summer school to catch up.
    — Emily Davies, Washington Post, 20 Jan. 2024
  • Why not use leap day to do a little bed rotting and catch up?
    — Heidi Finley, Charlotte Observer, 26 Feb. 2024
  • James still has a way to catch up with the player many still consider to be the GOAT, though.
    — Bryan Hood, Robb Report, 3 June 2022
  • But by 2001, years of fraud began to catch up with Enron.
    — Michael Murney, Chron, 7 Oct. 2022
  • Men have had such a head start that women have to work harder just to catch up.
    — Nancy Armour, USA TODAY, 18 May 2022
  • Instead of doing a flashback to catch up, part of the idea was to give you a novel view of her.
    — Kate Aurthur, Variety, 24 Mar. 2023
  • Don't get caught up in trying to make movements or strides.
    — Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 17 Aug. 2024
  • The Denver Post caught up with the Nuggets’ rookie on their most recent road trip.
    — Bennett Durando, The Denver Post, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Tony and the painting needed to wait for the technology to catch up with them.
    — Hannah Edgar, Chicago Tribune, 5 Apr. 2023
  • Of course the year is still early and there’s plenty of time for bigger rivals to catch up.
    — Lauren Thomas, WSJ, 20 Mar. 2023
  • The Panthers spent most of last season playing catch up.
    — Jordan McPherson, Miami Herald, 30 Mar. 2024
  • During that trip, they got caught up in one of the most infamous episodes of the Vietnam War.
    — Chris Klimek, Smithsonian Magazine, 2 Nov. 2023
  • To catch up to Trump, DeSantis has a long way to go, if polls are to be believed.
    — Dana Taylor, USA TODAY, 31 July 2023
  • All the better reason to catch up on your favorite episodes.
    — Caroline Hallemann, Town & Country, 17 May 2022
  • During one of the commercial breaks, Garfield and the talk show host were catching up.
    — Tribune News Service, The Mercury News, 24 Oct. 2024
  • Asked if the Fed’s big cut today reflects a need to catch up, Powell said no.
    — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 18 Sep. 2024
  • Boy Meets World’s most beloved teacher is catching up with some of his old pupils.
    — Kimberlee Speakman, Peoplemag, 1 June 2024

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'catch-up.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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