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Synonyms

catch on

British  

verb

  1. to become popular or fashionable

  2. to grasp mentally; understand

"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
catch on Idioms  

  1. Understand, as in Aunt Mary doesn't catch on to any jokes . The verb to catch alone was used with this meaning from Shakespeare's time, on being added in the late 1800s. Also see get it , def. 2.

  2. Become popular, as in This new dance is really beginning to catch on . [Late 1800s]

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.

But ahead of Tuesday’s results, UBS analysts said that data showed some of Nike’s newer offerings weren’t catching on with customers.

From MarketWatch

The sportswear giant has been trying to focus more on the needs of athletes, but analysts say new products aren’t catching on.

From The Wall Street Journal

The lander’s leg got caught on the surface and broke, tipping the lander over.

From MarketWatch

Though it had strong reviews and an exciting young cast, it failed to catch on with broader audiences, only bringing in around $1 million at the box office.

From Los Angeles Times

Investors seem to have caught on to the trend and are pouring billions into the startups.

From Barron's

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

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.