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catchall

[ kach-awl ]

/ ˈkætʃˌɔl /

SEE SYNONYMS FOR catchall ON THESAURUS.COM

noun

a bag, basket, or other receptacle for odds and ends.

something that covers a wide variety of items or situations: The list is just a catchall of things I want to see or do on vacation.

adjective

covering a wide variety of items or situations: The anthology is a catchall collection.

QUIZZES

IT’S A WORD OF THE DAY QUIZ BONANZA!

This windfall of words will make you rich with knowledge. Mine your memory on the words from July 27 to August 2!

Question 1 of 7

What does "scattergood" mean?

a person who acts as though he or she knows everything and who dismisses the opinions, comments, or suggestions of others.

a person who spends possessions or money extravagantly or wastefully; spendthrift.

a well-intentioned but naive and often ineffectual social or political reformer.

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Origin of catchall

1830–40, Americanism; noun use of verb phrase catch all

Words nearby catchall

catch-all, catch-as-catch-can, catch-colt, catch-cord, catch-up, catchall, catchcry, catcher, catcher in the rye, the, catcher resonator, catcher's box

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2020

Example sentences from the Web for catchall

Kocurek said he was told he had been terminated “for cause,” a catchall term that allows dismissal for just about any reason.
Two Texas Regulators Tried to Enforce the Rules. They Were Fired.|David Hasemyer, InsideClimate News|December 9, 2014|DAILY BEAST
An accusation of witchcraft is vague enough to serve as a kind of catchall for discontent.
Will Saudi Arabia Execute Guest Workers for 'Witchcraft'?|Michael Schulson|March 29, 2014|DAILY BEAST
This department is a catchall for a lot of items, and it hides a lot of leaks and wastes in business.
Dollars and Sense|Col. Wm. C. Hunter
The IMF's propensity to provide a "catchall" one-measure-fits-all panacea is nothing short of shortsighted and disastrous.
After the Rain|Sam Vaknin

Most of you in this Chamber didn't know what was in this catchall bill and report.
Complete State of the Union Addresses from 1790 to 2006|Various

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