catch phrase

or catchphrase

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See synonyms for catch phrase on Thesaurus.com

noun

a phrase that attracts or is meant to attract attention.

a phrase, as a slogan, that comes to be widely and repeatedly used, often with little of the original meaning remaining.

QUIZ

THINGAMABOB OR THINGUMMY: CAN YOU DISTINGUISH BETWEEN THE US AND UK TERMS IN THIS QUIZ?

Do you know the difference between everyday US and UK terminology? Test yourself with this quiz on words that differ across the Atlantic.

Question 1 of 7

In the UK, COTTON CANDY is more commonly known as…

candystring

candyfloss

candypuff

TAKE THE QUIZ TO FIND OUT

Origin of catch phrase

First recorded in 1840–50; catch(word) + phrase

How to use catch phrase in a sentence

“To minimize sprawl” has become a bedrock catchphrase of the core political ideology.
The Progressives’ War on Suburbia|Joel Kotkin|November 16, 2014|DAILY BEAST
She has a t-shirt that says “Fetch,” the catchphrase from Mean Girls!
Lindsay Lohan’s Reality Show Is the Most Stressful Thing on TV|Kevin Fallon|March 10, 2014|DAILY BEAST
The mother of five frantically jumps from one argument to the next as if playing a high stakes game of Catchphrase.
Meet the Anti-Pot Activists|Abby Haglage|January 31, 2014|DAILY BEAST
Dana Carvey made "wouldn't be prudent" the most famous catchphrase of Bush's dad.
A Devastating Presidential Parody|Howard Kurtz|October 8, 2012|DAILY BEAST

Tim Gunn came back from being a catchphrase robot to a thoughtful mentor offering informed critiques of work in progress.
How 'Project Runway' Made it Work|Andy Dehnart|July 27, 2011|DAILY BEAST
But the more up-to-date a thing may be, whether it be a popular catchphrase or a whole book, the more ephemeral is its existence.
The Lighter Side of School Life|Ian Hay
And when a man wants to talk like that "how-do-you-do" is as good a catchphrase as the next to keep his tongue discreet.
Sally of Missouri|R. E. Young

British Dictionary definitions for catch phrase

catch phrase

noun

a well-known frequently used phrase, esp one associated with a particular group, etc

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

catch phrase

or catchphrase

Origin of catch phrase

Words related to catch phrase

How to use catch phrase in a sentence

British Dictionary definitions for catch phrase