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• catch-up
  catch-up

  noun

  an effort to reach or pass a norm, especially after a period of delay.
• catch up
  catch up

  verb

  (tr) to seize and take up (something) quickly

catch-up

American  

[kach-uhp] / ˈkætʃˌʌp /

noun

1. an effort to reach or pass a norm, especially after a period of delay.

   After the slowdown there was a catch-up in production.

2. an effort to catch up with or surpass a competitor, as in a sports contest.

3. an instance of catching up.

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adjective

1. intended to keep up with or surpass a norm or competitor.

   a catch-up pay raise to offset inflation.

idioms

1. play catch-up, to make a special effort to overcome a late start, a liability, or the advantage a competitor has.

   After Russia launched the first space satellite, other countries had to play catch-up.

catch up British  

verb

1. (tr) to seize and take up (something) quickly

2. to reach or pass (someone or something), after following

   he soon caught him up

3. (intr; usually foll by on or with) to make up for lost ground or deal with a backlog (in some specified task or activity)

4. (tr; often passive) to absorb or involve

   she was caught up in her reading

5. (tr) to raise by or as if by fastening

   the hem of her dress was caught up with ribbons

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catch up More Idioms  

1. Suddenly snatch or lift up, as in The wind caught up the kite and sent it high above the trees . [First half of 1300s]

2. Also, catch up with . Come from behind, overtake. This usage can be either literal, as in You run so fast it's hard to catch up with you , or figurative, as in The auditors finally caught up with the embezzler . [Mid-1800s]

3. Become involved with, enthralled by, as in We all were caught up in the magical mood of that evening . [Mid-1600s]

4. Also, . Bring or get up to date, as in Let's get together soon and catch up on all the news , or Tonight I have to catch up with my correspondence . [First half of 1900s]

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Etymology

Origin of catch-up

1835–45, noun, adj. use of verb phrase catch up

Example Sentences

When we catch up with them in the present day, the twins live a life perfectly in sync, their movements in rhythm, their telepathic communication expressed on-screen in typewriter-font subtitles.

From Los Angeles Times • May 15, 2026

Competitors Zoox and Tesla are trying to catch up with their own self-driving technology, but have yet to match Waymo’s scale and reach.

From Los Angeles Times • May 14, 2026

“Europe tends to catch up with the U.S.,”

From Barron's • May 14, 2026

Roughly 75% of Lilly’s international weight-loss revenue is cash pay, meaning patients are reaching into their own pockets rather than waiting for health systems to catch up.

From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 2026

Ms. Pearl watches us, then calls back: “Send up another, Sparkle. That boy’s got some growing to do to catch up with his feet.”

From "The Tenth Mistake of Hank Hooperman" by Gennifer Choldenko

Related Words

• get back
• reclaim
• recoup
• regain
• repair
• rescue
• restore
• resume
• retrieve
• salvage