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.

“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

"I'm slightly better now, but I'm still struggling to breathe normally... It's like I'm always catching my breath," he said, adding he hoped the fire would "be extinguished soon".

From Barron's • Apr. 30, 2026

This is partly why Sarah decided to homeschool her children - by knowing she could see them all the time, the images of them being fatally injured or catching a terrible disease were diminished somewhat.

From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026

With every new amenity, it’s sending rivals a message: good luck catching up.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 25, 2026

I texted Lorren under my desk, catching her up on the various theories.

From "Bye Forever, I Guess" by Jodi Meadows

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