1
as in to realize
to come to an awareness of
she caught on to the fact that they were planning a surprise party
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to know
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 catch on (to)
Verb
-
After hearing chatter on the radio about the Seattle aquarium, Ellie realizes that Nora (Tati Gabrielle) hinted that Abby was hiding out there.—
Samantha Stutsman,
People.com,
26 May 2025 -
But maybe if the Sun Sentinel published a game story once in awhile, the people of South Florida would realize that Miami actually has a big-league team.—
Sun Sentinel Editorial Board,
Sun Sentinel,
26 May 2025
Verb
-
Barnett is best known for his participation in the first season of Love Island USA, which premiered in 2019.—
Ryan Coleman,
EW.com,
20 May 2025
-
On May 9, a swarm of what are believed to be Africanized honey bees, also known as killer bees, attacked and killed three horses in Comanche, Texas, just about 50 miles southeast of Eastland.—
Greta Cross,
USA Today,
20 May 2025
Verb
-
Local businesses and surf shops like the Jimmy Lane Surfing Academy, Surfin’ NSB, and Nichols Surf Shop (which has been open since 1969 and is the town’s oldest surf shop) all employee seasoned instructors who are more than ready to help beginners discover the thrill of catching their first wave.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
27 May 2025
-
Egyptian archaeologists have discovered tombs dating back to the New Kingdom period (1550–1070 B.C.) and identified the names and titles of their owners through inscriptions found within, according to a statement by the tourism and antiquities ministry.—
Chicago Tribune,
Chicago Tribune,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
To understand what’s at stake amid the NNSA’s workforce woes, USA TODAY interviewed current and former agency officials and reviewed decades of watchdog reports, safety records and other official documents.—
Davis Winkie,
USA Today,
19 May 2025
-
The realtor also pulled permits to help determine a timeline of events to understand when some of the damage occurred.—
Meredith Wilshere,
People.com,
19 May 2025
Verb
-
Some people may notice improvements in six to eight weeks, but others may not see any changes until 12 weeks.—
Julia Ries,
Health,
22 May 2025
-
The South African government has also been a vocal defender of Palestinians in Gaza who have seen their homes destroyed and access to food cut off by the Israeli military, a position that’s frustrated Trump administration officials.—
Brian Bennett,
Time,
22 May 2025
Verb
-
Instead of administrators spending countless hours deciphering page after page of information and increasing risk of errors being made, AI agents are powering document capture for a better, more efficient way to work.—
Navaneeth Nair,
Forbes.com,
19 May 2025
-
In early May, the Vesuvius Challenge announced that contestants Marcel Roth and Micha Nowak, computer scientists at Germany’s University of Würzburg, would receive $60,000 for deciphering the title.—
Ellen Wexler,
Smithsonian Magazine,
16 May 2025
Verb
-
Longtime fans of the show will recognize this as some of June’s voiceover from the very first episode.—
Kimberly Roots,
TVLine,
27 May 2025
-
Sun Sentinel 2 Florida beaches land on Dr. Beach’s top 10 list for 2025 Two of Florida’s Gulf Coast beaches have been recognized among the top 10 beaches in America, according to an annual ranking from Dr. Beach.—
South Florida Sun Sentinel,
Sun Sentinel,
27 May 2025
Verb
-
But then the government appealed, and a three judge panel of the Ninth Circuit heard arguments in April.—
Quil Lawrence,
NPR,
26 May 2025
-
Lenin is the father of Victor Margarito, the museum caretaker, but Victor had never heard the stories his father was telling.—
Sam Kean,
The Atlantic,
26 May 2025
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.
Cite this Entry
“Catch on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 1 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share