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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

So for now, Wells Fargo is in catch-up mode.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 29, 2026

That was on top of their regular contribution of $23,500, as well as the standard catch-up contribution for people over 50 of $7,500.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 29, 2026

The semiconductor fund did drop on Tuesday—and far more steeply than the rest of the major indexes—suggesting other stocks could finally play catch-up.

From Barron's • Apr. 28, 2026

The reason for the gulf is obvious: England's level of investment has left other nations playing catch-up.

From BBC • Apr. 25, 2026

This girl has a paper on genocide to write and last week’s Trig problems, and a catch-up test about literary devices in some stupid story.

From "Wintergirls" by Laurie Halse Anderson

Related Words

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