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

Liliana Olayo, a 51-year-old retail worker in Aurora, Ill., has been playing catch-up since the summer, when her electricity bills rose to $300 to $400 a month, up from about $200 previously in the summer.

From The Wall Street Journal

With catch-up viewing included, the first series of The Celebrity Traitors was watched by more than 15 million viewers.

From BBC

If you have an individual retirement account, your contribution limit for 2026 is $7,500, with an additional $1,100 catch-up contribution allowed if you are 50 or older.

From MarketWatch

But there is also a “super catch-up” contribution allowed for people ages 60 to 63, along with new limits on how much of the catch-up or super catch-up contributions can be tax-deferred.

From MarketWatch

Then there was a “catch-up trade” from investors focused on AI’s growing power demands, according to Mark Strouse, equity analyst at JPMorgan.

From The Wall Street Journal

Related Words

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