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

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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
  • Quickly, the women realize they’ve been lied to, thanks to a blueberry candle, and are forced into Mr. Reed’s tense musings and sadistic games for a chance to escape.
    Savannah Salazar, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
  • After a sweeping electoral victory and Republicans claiming likely majorities in both the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate, Trump appears emboldened to push aggressively to realize that agenda.
    Ethan Varian, The Mercury News, 7 Nov. 2024
Definition of realize
Verb
  • Hoping that Brendan would find it in his heart to spare her husband’s life, and knowing that the IRA was bound to discover his double-identity sooner rather than later, Kathleen confesses to Brendan.
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 14 Nov. 2024
  • Gaetz, a Trump loyalist known for being a rabble-rouser in Congress, has a law degree and briefly practiced law in Florida before entering politics, but has never worked as a prosecutor.
    Elizabeth Robinson, NBC News, 14 Nov. 2024
Definition of know
Verb
  • The phenomenon was discovered in the early 1900s among residents of Colorado Springs, Colorado.
    Erika Edwards, NBC News, 7 Nov. 2024
  • The remains of the town were initially discovered in 1599 and by the 19th Century, scientists began to uncover the remains and preserved several in plaster.
    Laura Baisas, Popular Science, 7 Nov. 2024
Definition of discover
Verb
  • If not, it’s understood that the host will treat the group.
    Judith Martin, The Mercury News, 13 Nov. 2024
  • The opportunity to understand what went wrong vanished when Onyxx was cremated.
    Audrey Dutton, ProPublica, 11 Nov. 2024
Definition of understand
Verb
  • That’s not enough of the planet’s circumference to see the horizon line begin to show off its curve.
    Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 15 Nov. 2024
  • There were moments of vulnerability never seen from him before.
    Troy Renck, The Denver Post, 15 Nov. 2024
Definition of see
Verb
  • Unlike cuneiform, only about half of proto cuneiform symbols have been deciphered so far.
    Paul Smaglik, Discover Magazine, 6 Nov. 2024
  • Groups are trying to decipher what the ruling means for other proposals to connect power-hungry data centers with America's single largest source of zero-emissions 24/7 electricity.
    Alan Neuhauser, Axios, 5 Nov. 2024
Definition of decipher
Verb
  • No income tax benefit was recognized for these net losses.
    Quartz Bot, Quartz, 8 Nov. 2024
  • People are not machines, however, so recognizing your limits and finding ways to reconnect with yourself and others during detox can significantly enhance your sense of humanity and digital well-being.
    Discover Magazine, Discover Magazine, 7 Nov. 2024
Definition of recognize
Verb
  • Catherine’s husband has also been unable to hear her, deaf to anything but the gonging of his own jealous rage.
    Amanda Whiting, Vulture, 8 Nov. 2024
  • The neighbor also later heard yelling coming from nearby woods.
    Antonio Planas, NBC News, 8 Nov. 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 21 Nov. 2024.

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