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Synonyms

gotcha

American  
[goch-uh] / ˈgɒtʃ ə /

interjection

  1. Informal. got you (used to indicate comprehension, to exultingly point out a blunder, etc.).


Etymology

Origin of gotcha

A phonetic spelling representing the pronunciation of got you in continuous rapid speech

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.

See Examples For:

Their final complaint was a hair-splitting gotcha: I wrote that “lawmakers can count on a few fingers the times former Sen. Vance has set foot in the Capitol.”

From The Wall Street Journal Jul. 23, 2026

It was not a gotcha sort of documentary.

From Los Angeles Times Apr. 14, 2026

Ms. Stefanik wasn’t trying to ask a gotcha question, she writes in the book.

From The Wall Street Journal Apr. 10, 2026

In other words, it was a deliberate gotcha.

From Salon Feb. 22, 2026

He gives me a gotcha look, then reaches into his front jeans pocket and pulls out a chipped conch-shaped shell.

From "I'll Give You the Sun" by Jandy Nelson

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