catch on (to)

verb

Definition of catch on (to)next
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

Examples Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch on (to)
  1. realize
  2. know
  3. discover
  4. understand
  5. see
  6. decipher
  7. recognize
  8. hear
Verb
  • Institutions and educators are realizing the necessity of incorporating these novel technologies to improve learning and multidisciplinary cooperation.
    Chris Gallagher, USA TODAY, 16 Dec. 2024
  • That morning, on the day of his exam, looking up at the stone façades, Gabriel suddenly realized that this was a place that existed not despite but because of the iniquitous history exhibited here.
    Daisy Hildyard, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
Definition of realize
Verb
  • Keselowski's entry into RFK Racing in 2021 marked a turning point for the team, formerly known as Roush Fenway Racing.
    Daniel R. Depetris, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
  • The Eagles know their offense can’t devolve into a frustrating mess for a second straight season.
    Brooks Kubena, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
Definition of know
Verb
  • Gupta provides an example of Bayer, which is developing a cutting-edge platform to help discover insights from images.
    Dr. Sai Balasubramanian, M.D., J.D., Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Read on to discover how even the toughest patina can be addressed.
    Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of discover
Verb
  • That’s always interesting, because then you’re confronted with your own insecurities and your own inability to understand something, so you then get excited by that.
    Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Maddy disappears and upon returning, years later, works to convince Owen (now played by Justice Smith) that the world of The Pink Opaque is realer than either understood as teens.
    Louis Peitzman, Vulture, 19 Dec. 2024
Definition of understand
Verb
  • This legacy in racing has seen the team achieve strong successes, including their first win in 2000 with Robbie Buhl, and a history of fielding prominent drivers such as Al Unser Jr., Sarah Fisher, and Ryan Hunter-Reay.
    Joseph Epstein, Newsweek, 11 Dec. 2024
  • On December 5, the 29-year-old model was seen in a dressed down fall uniform that was, well, both in and out of my price range.
    Alyssa Grabinski, People.com, 11 Dec. 2024
Definition of see
Verb
  • Daboll’s fourth-down decisions were typically hard to decipher.
    Dan Duggan, The Athletic, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Paul has come to think of this period as the beginning of her decades-long attempt to decipher life as it is lived, not as it is schematized by contemporary philosophy.
    Alice Gregory, The New Yorker, 2 Dec. 2024
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • To get around this, players have to be 25 or older and have played for at least six seasons in a foreign league which is recognized by MLB.
    Jamie Barton, CNN, 16 Dec. 2024
  • Israel captured the Golan Heights during the 1967 Mideast war and annexed it, a move recognized only by the U.S. The international community continues to regard the area as occupied.
    Raja Krishnamoorthi, Newsweek, 16 Dec. 2024
Definition of recognize
Verb
  • The low, squelching funk of the beat and Richman’s high falsetto were tuned to such a uniquely perfect frequency that everyone was happy to hear them, again and again, and again.
    Carrie Battan, The New Yorker, 15 Dec. 2024
  • Occasionally there are people who are not gracious or not as willing to hear other perspectives.
    Kimberly A. Whitler, Forbes, 15 Dec. 2024
Definition of hear
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.

Thesaurus Entries Near catch on (to)

catch one's eye

catch on (to)

catchpenny

See More Nearby Entries 

Cite this Entry

“Catch on (to).” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch%20on%20%28to%29. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

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