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.
That play was Santa Margarita royalty at its best — a Mosley catching a touchdown pass from a Palmer, the son of the head coach.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 17, 2026
Manoa Duwai convinced his village in 2009 to create a protected area within their customary fishing grounds on Fiji's Coral Coast after concerns over the small number and size of fish he was catching.
From Barron's ● Oct. 17, 2026
A woman whose newborn daughter became ill after catching a potentially serious respiratory illness is urging other pregnant women to make sure they are vaccinated against it.
From BBC ● Oct. 13, 2026
Smith appears to be executing his catching duties very well, since opponents have scored just 10 runs and are hitting .160 against the Dodgers this postseason.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2026
She was about to say, In the play I was in, catching the admission just before it slipped past her tongue.
From "Night Owls" by A.R. Vishny
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
