catching

American  

[kach-ing] / ˈkætʃ ɪŋ /

adjective

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

   a disease that is catching;

   His enthusiasm is catching.

2. attractive; fascinating; captivating; alluring.

   a catching personality.

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catching British  

/ ˈkætʃɪŋ /

adjective

1. infectious

2. attractive; captivating

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Other Word Forms

• catchingly adverb
• catchingness noun

Etymology

Origin of catching

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

Example Sentences

The festival offers an option for seeing live comedy where trans people aren’t “constantly catching strays,” festival producer and actor Petey Gibson says.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 1, 2026

“Wonder Man” is worth catching up on, “Daredevil” is watchable, and “Maul” should be cool.

From MarketWatch • Mar. 31, 2026

The 18-year-old freshman should be with her family and catching them up on what’s new at Chicago’s Loyola University.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 30, 2026

His witty, thoughtful verses broadened the scope of hip-hop with stories about treating your mother with respect and catching your girlfriend cheating with the postman, alongside hard-hitting lyrics about social deprivation and immigration.

From BBC • Mar. 25, 2026

Still smiling, the lady said, “I wonder if you could tell me something. Why does that old man want to read a book about catching monkeys?”

From "Summer of the Monkeys" by Wilson Rawls