catching
Americanadjective
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tending to be transmitted from one person to another; contagious or infectious.
a disease that is catching;
His enthusiasm is catching.
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attractive; fascinating; captivating; alluring.
a catching personality.
adjective
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infectious
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attractive; captivating
Other Word Forms
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.
As of 10 a.m., firefighters remained at the scene “trying to remove paper from the building to stop it from catching on fire,” Hsiao said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 10, 2026
Treasury yields have been steadily rising lately, likely catching bargain-hunters’ attention.
From Barron's • May 5, 2026
“Star City” and “Maximum Pleasure Guaranteed” look very watchable, and the current crop of ongoing shows is largely worth catching up on.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 30, 2026
Her family are grateful to Hampshire Police for treating Levi with care as well as catching her attacker.
From BBC • Apr. 30, 2026
Autumn just blows by me and scores an easy layup, all while I’m still catching my breath from the last play.
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
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
