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.
“This is the wake-up call. There has to be a catch-up in terms of investments,” said ING’s Brzeski.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 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
So we won’t even talk about the catch-up contributions that add $7,500 to the limit after age 50, and even more if you’re between age 60 and 63.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 29, 2026
But without our regular catch-up, I worried she might have forgotten our plan.
From "Monday's Not Coming" by Tiffany D. Jackson
The U.S. has been slow to adapt to the battlefield dominance of drones and cheap weapons, but the world’s most dynamic economy has the wit and technology to catch up if there’s enough political will.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 20, 2026
Time, though, will eventually catch up with the Bayern Munich forward.
From BBC ● Jul. 18, 2026
But as its challenges grow, so does the argument for OpenAI to move quickly and raise what money it can—before its troubles really catch up to it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 14, 2026
With both cats secured, Malcolm says he attempted to catch up with the group - but saw they were now out of their vehicles.
From BBC ● Jul. 13, 2026
I slow down in case he’s tired, but he still doesn’t catch up.
From "Keeping Pace" by Laurie Morrison
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.
