- present participle of catch.
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.
These ancillary costs are catching people off guard, said Joel Berner, a senior economist at Realtor.com.
From MarketWatch ● Aug. 15, 2026
And, as hiring managers have gotten better at catching them, the workers have even begun using AI face-swapping tools to make themselves harder to spot.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 13, 2026
Instead, I have to keep up the pretence of trying to score runs and catching the ball as a wicketkeeper.
From BBC ● Aug. 13, 2026
As a senior, he wants to take his skills to another level, using his size and improved speed to become an all-around back, whether running, blocking or catching passes.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 12, 2026
“It does seem so!” said Father, not catching the joke.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
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.
