Skip to main content
Glite Dictionary
🤲 To grab 😬 To get punished 🪡 To get stuck 👃 To notice 🤒 To get affected 💧 To collect ⏰ To be delayed 👀 To attract 💥 To be hit 🐟 A thing caught ⚠️ A hidden problem 🎨 To express well ⚾ To play catcher 💑 A desirable partner 🔗 A fastener 🗣️ A voice break
to catch

to catch

474 2.1
To notice something quickly with the senses or mind
  • verb
  • /kæʧ/
translation icon : percibir
  • I never did catch your name.
  • catch on
  • catch a glimpse
  • catch sight of

I really wanted to catch lions mating.

Autoplay Next

Examples

  • The only word I caught was "thief."

    The Kill Room (2023)

  • Bess didn't say anything else, but I caught her glance of mingled fear and disgust.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The next thing is try to catch yourself in the moment.

  • Better catch him, catch him quick.

    Doctor Jekyll (2023)

  • If you look to your left, you may catch a glimpse of them now.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • Gideon loses his balance but catches himself on the side of the bed.

    Fiction book (1990)

  • The bar is packed, but Roland catches a glimpse of Josette from a distance.

    Academic text (1998)

  • And then I-- I caught her reading an Anais Nin book in the campus bookstore.

    Blue Like Jazz (2012)

  • I just caught the bus just in time before it left the station.

  • During the lecture, I managed to catch a few interesting ideas that the professor shared.

Synonyms

to get
vsto catch
∞ 1.4

To understand what someone says or an idea

is sudden or brief noticing rather than general understanding
to realize
vsto catch
  • US
∞ 1.1

To suddenly understand something you did not know before

is often brief sensory noticing as well as sudden mental awareness
to notice
vsto catch
∞ 1.0

To see or become aware of something

is sudden and usually brief perception rather than attentive watching
to pick up
vsto catch
∞ 2.6

To learn or notice something often by chance

is specifically sudden or very brief noticing rather than general learning
to detect
vsto catch
763 3.2

Find something that is hard to notice

is sudden brief noticing rather than focused discovery of hidden things
to sense
vsto catch
629 4.2

To notice something by feeling or by using a tool

is sudden or brief perception that often happens instantly
to overhear
vsto catch
175 1.6

To hear someone talking without them knowing

is sudden perception that also covers brief visual or mental awareness
to pick up on
vsto catch
142 3.9

To notice something that is not obvious

is sudden perception that can be obvious or brief rather than subtle
to get a look
vsto catch
88 2.8

To see someone or something for a short time

is sudden perception that also includes nonvisual or mental noticing
to take notice
vsto catch
42 3.5

To see and pay attention to something

is sudden or brief perception without necessarily needing focused attention
to spy
vsto catch
40 3.1

To notice something suddenly or after looking for it

is often unexpected or brief perception rather than searched discovery
to catch on
vsto catch
37 3.9

To begin to understand something after a while

is immediate or brief perception rather than slow understanding
to sight
vsto catch
26 2.8

To suddenly see something for a short time

is sudden or brief perception across senses or mind
to catch sight
vsto catch
16 3.0

To see something for a short time, usually by chance

is sudden perception that may also be mental rather than only visual
to catch sight of
vsto catch
15 2.4

To see someone or something suddenly and for a short time

is sudden perception that can occur in any sense, not only vision
to catch that
vsto catch
  • Informal
11 3.0

Hear and understand what someone says when it is hard to hear

is sudden perception that includes both sensory and mental noticing
to catch wind of
vsto catch
  • Informal
7 5.4

Hear about something from other people before official news

is direct sudden perception rather than indirect information gathering
to catch a whiff
vsto catch
4 5.1

To notice a small smell of something for a short time

is sudden perception that applies to all senses and thought
to twig
vsto catch
  • Slang
1 8.9

To suddenly understand something you did not notice before

is sudden perception including senses, not only informal realization

Antonyms

to ignore
∞ 1.0

Choose not to pay attention to someone or something

to overlook
243 2.9

To not notice someone or something you should see

Idioms

to catch one's breath
32 3.7

Pause to breathe normally after hard exercise or a shock

hard to catch
9 5.0

Difficult to find, stop, or understand

to catch your death
  • Informal
5 8.2

To become very sick from being outside in the cold, often said as a warning

to catch a whiff
4 5.1

To notice a small smell of something for a short time

to catch some Z's
  • Informal
2 7.9

To sleep to get some rest

to catch a case
  • Slang
1 9.9

Get in trouble with the law by being charged with a crime

catch-as-catch-can
  • Informal
1 8.9

Using whatever is available and acting without a plan

to catch a body
  • Offensive
1 9.9

To find a dead person, often during police work or as slang for killing someone

to catch flies with one's mouth open
  • Informal
9.6

To not pay attention and miss what is happening around you, for example because you are daydreaming

to catch flies with vinegar
  • Informal
9.7

To try to get people to agree by being harsh or unpleasant

catch me if you can
  • Informal
7.0

Challenge someone to try to reach or pass you

to catch no ball
  • Informal
9.9

To not understand anything in a talk or explanation

to catch a bronch
  • Archaic
9.9

To get a sickness in your chest that makes you cough a lot

to catch a cootie
  • Baby Talk
9.5

To pretend to get a small, not real illness from another person

to catch a Tartar
  • Archaic
9.9

To unexpectedly meet a very strong opponent

to catch a wave
  • Informal
6.9

To use a rising trend or new interest to grow quickly

to catch (someone) napping
7.5

To find someone not ready or not paying attention

to catch some z's
  • Informal
8.9

To sleep for a short time

to catch someone napping
  • Informal
6.8

Notice someone being careless when they should be paying attention

to throw a sprat to catch a mackerel
  • Archaic
9.9

Give something small to get something much bigger later

Phrasal Verbs

to catch up
389 2.7

To reach the same level as others after falling behind

to catch up
  • Informal
166 2.3

To talk with someone to share news after not seeing them for a while

to catch up with
152 2.7

To reach someone ahead of you, often passing them

to catch up
90 2.5

To learn what happened while you were away

to catch on
60 3.2

To become popular with many people

to catch on
37 3.9

To begin to understand something after a while

to catch a glimpse
34 3.4

To see someone or something for a very short time

to catch fire
32 2.6

To start burning suddenly

to catch up with
28 3.2

To do work you missed after being away to reach the same level as others

to catch someone's attention
22 2.8

Make someone notice you or something

to catch oneself
20 6.0

Stop yourself quickly from saying or doing something you might regret

to catch a cold
18 1.0

To become sick with a common illness that makes your nose and throat sore

to catch sight
16 3.0

To see something for a short time, usually by chance

to catch off guard
15 4.0

To surprise someone so they are not ready to react

to catch sight of
15 2.4

To see someone or something suddenly and for a short time

to catch someone at
14 4.2

Meet someone at a place like a park or station

to catch a ride
  • US
14 3.2

To travel in someone else's car as a passenger

to catch that
  • Informal
11 3.0

Hear and understand what someone says when it is hard to hear

to catch out
11 6.3

To show someone has made a mistake or done something wrong, often by surprise

to catch cold
10 1.0

To become ill with a cold after being cold or near someone sick

to catch a wave
10 4.1

To ride a moving ocean wave on a surfboard

to catch the bus
9 1.0

To get on a bus before it leaves

to catch someone's eye
8 2.7

Attract someone's attention because it is interesting or noticeable

to catch wind of
  • Informal
7 5.4

Hear about something from other people before official news

to catch hell
  • Slang
5 8.2

To get a lot of blame or punishment for a mistake

to catch fire
  • Texting
5 3.7

To become very popular quickly, especially online

to catch the light
4 4.0

Shine or sparkle when light hits them

to catch it
  • Informal
3 8.3

To be punished or scolded by someone in charge

to catch the wind
2 5.1

To use wind power to move something like a boat or windmill

to catch heat
  • Informal
1 8.3

To get criticism or blame from others for something you did

to catch feelings
  • Slang
1 8.6

Begin to like someone in a romantic way

to catch air
1 7.9

To jump high into the air while doing a sport or trick

to catch it from
  • Informal
1 8.7

Get a strong scolding from someone after doing something wrong

to catch a fade
  • Informal
1 9.9

To get a short haircut with the sides cut very short at a barbershop

to catch a wink
1 5.5

To sleep for a short time, often during the day

to catch big air
  • Jargon
6.8

To jump very high in sports like skiing, snowboarding, or skateboarding

to catch dust
5.5

To collect dust when it is not used

to catch hands
  • Slang
9.9

To get into a physical fight with someone

to catch a date
  • Informal
7.5

Manage to meet someone for a romantic time together

to catch a roundeye
  • US
9.9

To catch a fish called roundeye when fishing

to catch paraflu
8.1

To get a mild illness that feels like the flu

to catch step
6.7

To move at the same speed as another person

to catch the match
  • UK
2.7

To watch a sports game, often on TV or online

to catch the sun
3.8

To sit or lie in the sun to feel warm

to catch the sun
  • Specialized
3.6

To receive sunlight to make electricity, as solar panels do

to haul in a big catch
3.7

To catch and pull many fish into a boat

Compounds

Catch-22
  • Informal
18 9.6

A situation where you cannot win because rules block every choice

catch-up
  • Informal
9 3.3

An informal meeting to share news and updates

catch-up
6 3.6

A time of work to reach the same level after falling behind

catch of the day
4 2.7

The freshest fish or seafood available that day, often on a restaurant menu

catch-up
2 3.8

Helps someone reach the needed level after falling behind

catch phrase
1 3.5

A short famous saying people often repeat about a person or show

safety catch
1 4.1

A part on a gun or other weapon that stops it firing by mistake

fair catch
  • Specialized
1 7.0

A player signals and catches a punt without running and cannot be tackled

fresh catch
1 2.9

Seafood caught recently that is not yet cooked or preserved

by-catch
  • Specialized
1 8.0

Animals and other sea life that are caught by accident while people fish for other species

Catch Me If You Can
1 4.1

A 2002 American film by Steven Spielberg starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Tom Hanks

catch crop
  • Specialized
6.7

A fast-growing crop planted between main crops to use land and time well

catch pen
  • Specialized
6.3

A small fenced area that holds animals like sheep or cattle for a short time

glottal catch
  • Specialized
9.9

A quick sound made by briefly closing and opening the vocal cords before a vowel

shoestring catch
  • Jargon
8.6

A baseball play where an outfielder runs and grabs a ball very close to the ground

How Clearly

to grasp
146 4.1
to perceive
83 3.7
to catch
474 2.1
to notice
∞ 1.0
to spot
576 2.1
glimpse
69 3.2

Surface Forms

catch infinitive
catching present participle
catches third person singular
caught past
caught past participle

Etymology

Catch once meant to 'grab' and later came to mean a quick taking by the senses, so to catch a smell or a glimpse is to get it briefly.