an effort to reach or pass a norm, especially after a period of delay.
After the slowdown there was a catch-up in production.
an effort to catch up with or surpass a competitor, as in a sports contest.
an instance of catching up.
(tr) to seize and take up (something) quickly
to reach or pass (someone or something), after following
he soon caught him up
(intr; usually foll by on or with) to make up for lost ground or deal with a backlog (in some specified task or activity)
(tr; often passive) to absorb or involve
she was caught up in her reading
(tr) to raise by or as if by fastening
the hem of her dress was caught up with ribbons
Suddenly snatch or lift up, as in The wind caught up the kite and sent it high above the trees . [First half of 1300s]
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]
Become involved with, enthralled by, as in We all were caught up in the magical mood of that evening . [Mid-1600s]
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]
1835–45, noun, adj. use of verb phrase catch up
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
State and local governments, as well as federal regulators, are playing catch-up as autonomous taxis from companies like Alphabet-owned Waymo, Tesla and Amazon.com’s Zoox spread across the country.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 10, 2026
By the end, the Sparks spent the game playing catch-up, never regaining the lead after surrendering it in the first 49 seconds to Johnson.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 7, 2026
Despite the unevenness, analysts still see plenty of catch-up opportunities in the region, where AI development is still in its infancy.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 3, 2026
"From our exclusive live broadcast to our dedicated catch-up experience, we're making it easier than ever for audiences to enjoy the World Cup on their terms."
From BBC ● Jul. 3, 2026
My parents had a pleasant enough catch-up with Mr. and Mrs. Stewart, and I followed Pamela around, gaping at her hair, her fair skin and teenager jewelry.
From "Becoming" by Michelle Obama
Time, though, will eventually catch up with the Bayern Munich forward.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
Charging may require a bit more time than gassing up, but it’s a chance to catch up on news and email.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 12, 2026
Amazon’s Zoox and Tesla’s Robotaxi service are also working to catch up.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 9, 2026
But unlike other games, people in London's eight inner postcode areas did not tune in live or catch up in the same numbers as the rest of the country.
From BBC ● Jul. 9, 2026
Jack grinned and shook his head, then ran to catch up to the other two.
From "Half Upon a Time" by James Riley
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
