Synonyms

catching

American

[kach-ing] / ˈkætʃ ɪŋ /

adjective

tending to be transmitted from one person to another; contagious or infectious.

a disease that is catching;
His enthusiasm is catching.
attractive; fascinating; captivating; alluring.

a catching personality.

catching British

/ ˈkætʃɪŋ /

adjective

infectious
attractive; captivating

"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

Other Word Forms

catchingly adverb
catchingness noun

Etymology

Origin of catching

late Middle English word dating back to 1375–1425; see origin at catch, -ing ²

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.

Aerosmith producer Jack Douglas rescued the group from obscurity after catching Cheap Trick’s act at a bowling alley in Waukesha, Wis. Impressed, he offered to help.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 17, 2026

This moved the centre-backs out of areas that are harder to play in under pressure, catching the opposition off-guard.

From BBC • Apr. 16, 2026

Pirro, meanwhile, has some catching up to do.

From Slate • Apr. 11, 2026

But analysts have questions about whether those new offerings are really catching on.

From MarketWatch • Apr. 10, 2026

I’ve never been good at the catching part of the sport, but I’ve always been great at the tackling-and-falling part.

From "Kwame Crashes the Underworld" by Craig Kofi Farmer

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