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; 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.

Meanwhile, Rausch is making the most of people’s low expectations of a “Love Island” contestant, let alone one from Alabama who enjoys catching snakes and quietly strolls around in denim overalls, bare-chested.

From Salon

“Aah. Well. I guess you have a lot of catching up to do.”

From Literature

“I don’t want it to interfere with your schoolwork. And we have a lot of catching up to do. Together.”

From Literature

He opened it and crawled out, then dove for the oak tree, catching a thick branch and swinging.

From Literature

Only now are government agencies catching up — just as Fern struck.

From MarketWatch

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