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
A wave of blockbuster earnings in tech is catching a couple software companies, too.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 7, 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
“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
He’s been busy catching a spy at the American embassy?
From "The Bletchley Riddle" by Ruta Sepetys and Steve Sheinkin
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.
