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.

At his side, Harry scanned the tables, her attention catching on a table of people so engrossed in their game that they didn’t notice the girl staring at them just a few feet away.

From Literature

A breeze blows through his open window, the curtain catching his plant.

From Literature

He stumbled down the rickety front steps, catching his balance on the banister.

From Literature

Are you catching the August eclipse from an expedition cruise in the Arctic?

From The Wall Street Journal

After the brothers drove the price up, new supplies came flooding into the market, catching the Hunts by surprise.

From The Wall Street Journal

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