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.
Cerebras went public over a decade after its founding, catching a second wind of market enthusiasm for AI after a cooling-off period earlier this year.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
He spent three weeks in isolation after catching Ebola while caring for patients in Liberia.
From Slate • May 14, 2026
And while the U.S. still dominates in technology, China is rapidly catching up with artificial intelligence and surpassing the country in electronic vehicles.
From Salon • May 14, 2026
With two games to go there is but one certainty - Rangers are not catching anybody.
From BBC • May 13, 2026
Mama’s biscuits are as good as ever, but I will tell you that I am catching up to her fast.
From "The Detective's Assistant" by Kate Hannigan
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.
