catching

American

[kach-ing] / ˈkætʃ ɪŋ /

adjective

tending to be transmitted from one person to another; contagious or infectious.

a disease that is catching;
His enthusiasm is catching.
attractive; fascinating; captivating; alluring.

a catching personality.

catching British

/ ˈkætʃɪŋ /

adjective

infectious
attractive; captivating

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

catchingly adverb
catchingness noun

Etymology

Origin of catching

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at catch, -ing ²

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"I'm slightly better now, but I'm still struggling to breathe normally... It's like I'm always catching my breath," he said, adding he hoped the fire would "be extinguished soon".

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

This practice, however, is catching up with many drivers: Nearly 31% of vehicle trade-ins now carry negative equity, meaning the amount owed on the loan is more than the car is worth.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026

Among the photos in the website is one of his father holding a fishing rod after catching a fish.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026

Meta's spending and internal focus had shifted heavily in recent months toward catching up on the development of AI models and tools.

From BBC • Apr. 23, 2026

He opened it and crawled out, then dove for the oak tree, catching a thick branch and swinging.

From "Boy 2.0" by Tracey Baptiste

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023