catch-all

British

noun

1. something designed to cover a variety of situations or possibilities
2. ( as modifier )
  
  a catch-all clause

"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

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.

Over time, it’s become less of a single-use breakfast food and more of a catch-all solution.

From Salon • Apr. 28, 2026

Meanwhile, prices for containerboard—the catch-all name for cardboard constituents—fell by $20 a ton in the U.S., dragging down prices for cardboard boxes and other products.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 24, 2026

Categories include junior music, solo music, musical group, dance, comedy, magic variety, junior variety and a catch-all variety category.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

Eurobonds refer to common bonds issued by EU states, while joint borrowing is the catch-all term for debt issued with liability shared by governments.

From Barron's • Feb. 10, 2026

Art music is a catch-all term for any music that is enjoyed by a smaller crowd.

From "Understanding Basic Music Theory" by Catherine Schmidt-Jones and Russel Jones

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