1
as in risk
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the drug lowers cholesterol, but the catch-22 is that it mainly lowers good cholesterol
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2
as in dilemma
a difficult, puzzling, or embarrassing situation from which there is no easy escape
the catch-22 faced by every first-time loan applicant: how to get a loan without a credit history
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3
as in problem
a situation in which one has to choose between two or more equally unsatisfactory choices
an environmental catch-22: building wind farms results in scenic eyesores; not building wind farms results in greater pollution from fossil fuels
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Recent Examples of catch-22
The catch-22: Nobody wants to deal with the filth and crime, yet nobody with a heart wants others to suffer due to the high cost of housing.
—
Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 2 Oct. 2024
Kerr’s Olympics catch-22 Steph Curry was the obvious hero, but Steve Kerr helped lead the U.S. to the gold medal, completely accomplishing the goal set out for him.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2024
To make matters worse, depression can lead to insomnia, which exacerbates depression, creating a terrible catch-22.
—Jasmine Mote, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2024
Xi’s growing alignment with Moscow presents something of a catch-22 for China.
—Jude Blanchette, Foreign Affairs, 21 Feb. 2022
See all Example Sentences for catch-22 
Letters To The Editor, The Mercury News, 2 Oct. 2024
Kerr’s Olympics catch-22 Steph Curry was the obvious hero, but Steve Kerr helped lead the U.S. to the gold medal, completely accomplishing the goal set out for him.
—Danny Emerman, The Mercury News, 11 Aug. 2024
To make matters worse, depression can lead to insomnia, which exacerbates depression, creating a terrible catch-22.
—Jasmine Mote, Scientific American, 5 Aug. 2024
Xi’s growing alignment with Moscow presents something of a catch-22 for China.
—Jude Blanchette, Foreign Affairs, 21 Feb. 2022
See all Example Sentences for catch-22
Recent Examples of Synonyms for catch-22
Noun
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The entire West coast is at risk for tsunamis California is by no means the only part of the United States at risk for tsunamis.Elizabeth Weise, USA TODAY, 7 Dec. 2024
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How To Test for Elevated Blood Lead Levels The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that children at risk for lead exposure get a blood lead test at 1 and 2 years of age.Katarzyna Kordas, Discover Magazine, 7 Dec. 2024
Noun
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With the consumer behavior of Millennials and Gen-Z—combined with the rising ethnic population and increasing buying power of Boomers—iconic brands, as well as emerging brands, face a dilemma around who to focus on, how to position themselves and where to invest for the best return on investment.Santhi Ramesh, Forbes, 16 Dec. 2024
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These black eyes on California are critical dilemmas.George Skelton, Los Angeles Times, 15 Dec. 2024
Noun
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From hardside carry-on suitcases to packable blankets, these essentials will make both your holiday shopping and travel plans go off without a hitch.Amelia McBride, Travel + Leisure, 8 Dec. 2024
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Ensuring these events go off without a hitch is critical.Marcus Fowler, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The question is whether anyone can genuinely rescue Intel from its current predicament.Tim Bajarin, Forbes, 4 Dec. 2024
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Parents are faced with daily questions, dilemmas, and predicaments.Sari Hitchins, Parents, 29 Nov. 2024
Noun
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Pure common sense, anticipation, preparation, and redundancy will avoid or counteract most of the physical and logistical pitfalls.Jerry Weissman, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024
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The sweeping biopic charts the rise of the pop star, from his days as a cheeky 8-year-old in a working-class U.K. town to his battles with the usual pitfalls of fame and money.Ramin Zahed, Los Angeles Times, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Highly acidic foods like pickles and tomatoes will react with the can after an extended period of time, causing both taste and texture changes so pay particularly close attention to expiration dates on these items.Patricia Shannon, Southern Living, 8 Dec. 2024
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Choose from a variety of shapes, including the cherished German-American tradition of the pickle ornament.Roger Sands, Forbes, 6 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Getting everyone into the same room at the same time can also act as a sharpening tool for decision-making, as information imbalances are smoothed out and routine snags and inefficiencies (such as delays in email response) can be neatly resolved in a two-minute conversation.Koray Köse, Forbes, 11 Dec. 2024
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The device removal tactic would have run into another big snag when the arrests in France took place: One of the suspects had nothing on the table at all.Ben Dowsett, WIRED, 10 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Appeals court upholds verdict — with a catch Flo Rida sued Celsius energy drinks and won millions.David Lyons, Sun Sentinel, 13 Dec. 2024
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Advertisement Take it from Cooper Kupp, the All-Pro receiver who, on a night of slap-your-forehead statistics, didn’t have a catch.Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 13 Dec. 2024
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Cite this Entry
“Catch-22.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/catch-22. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.
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