to catch on

Examples

• All

• I was ten years old and starting to catch on to things.

  Fiction book (1999)

• You catch on real fast, kid.

  Shrek the Third (2007)

• It's not too much to catch on to.

  Control (2004)

• You catch on fast, Lieutenant Smith.

  Rising Sun (1993)

• Reading is easy once you catch on that every letter just stands for a sound.

  Fiction book (2001)

• Miller-El says it took him a while to catch on to what was happening at his trial.

  Academic text (2002)

• Chuck doesn't seem to catch on to things as quickly as most students.

  Academic text (1996)

• Gradually, if we see individuals are not catching on, we can remediate, though with a consistently positive approach.

  Academic text (1993)

• "People in the area are finally catching on to compost," notes Delling.

  Academic text (1997)

• After several lectures, she finally began to catch on to the complex theory of relativity.

Synonyms

R

to realize

vsto catch on

• US

∞ 1.1

To suddenly understand something you did not know before

describes the start of understanding after a period of struggle

G

to get it

vsto catch on

• Informal

877 1.1

To understand something after someone explains it

is about beginning to understand after difficulty or delay

C

to catch

vsto catch on

474 2.1

To notice something quickly with the senses or mind

stresses the process of beginning to understand after some difficulty

P

to pick up on

vsto catch on

142 3.9

To notice something that is not obvious

focuses on starting to understand the thing rather than just noticing it

D

to dawn on

vsto catch on

49 3.7

An idea or fact suddenly becomes clear to someone

refers more generally to starting to understand after delay

G

to get a clue

vsto catch on

• Informal

25 7.8

Start to understand what is happening or what to do

is about the first step of understanding after some delay

A

to apprehend

vsto catch on

• Formal

9 4.3

To understand the meaning of something

focuses more on the moment of starting to understand after trouble

G

to get wise

vsto catch on

7 7.0

To understand someone tricked you and become more careful

is about the early realization after confusion rather than after deception

L

to latch on

vsto catch on

• Informal

4 4.9

To begin to understand an idea after not getting it at first

focuses on the initial breakthrough into understanding rather than adoption

T

to tumble

vsto catch on

• UK

4 7.4

To finally understand something after some confusion

emphasizes the initial delay before understanding begins

G

to get to grips

vsto catch on

• UK

2 5.7

To begin to deal with or understand a difficult problem

is narrower, highlighting the first understanding step rather than ongoing work

G

to get onto

vsto catch on

• Informal

1 5.1

Start to understand something after finding it confusing

is the everyday expression for that same starting understanding

C

to cotton on

vsto catch on

• UK

1 7.5

Start to understand something after not understanding it

is the same start but stresses the early phase of grasping

T

to twig

vsto catch on

• Slang

1 8.9

To suddenly understand something you did not notice before

is about starting to understand after prior difficulty or delay

C

to cop on

vsto catch on

• UK

9.9

Begin to understand something you missed before

emphasizes the initial phase of grasping rather than simple awareness

How Clear

to master

191 4.1

to understand

∞ 1.0

to catch on

37 3.9

to get the point

• Informal

51 2.7

Surface Forms

Morphology

Etymology