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.

After catching the attention of a producer in Chengdu, the provincial capital, Mr. Hu was soon emboldened to move to Chengdu, where he has since built a successful career as a rap artist.

From The Wall Street Journal

The bond market, a steady force over much of this week, was looking a bit more nervous on Thursday — and finally catching up with jittery stock investors.

From MarketWatch

The fourth, however, which was the one Tiamat was closest to catching, jumped right onto the table.

From Literature

Her voice trailed off, the self-pity catching back up with her.

From Literature

The Crown star Claire Foy has said she had parasites for five years after catching an infection, and no longer drinks caffeine as a result.

From BBC

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