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Catch on meaning

Catch on means to become popular or fashionable. It can also mean to start to understand something, often after some time.

Check yourself: 3 questions

catch on

catch on · caught · catching

C1No object+1 more meaning

Electric scooters caught on really fast in our city.

Catch on meanings and examples

2 meanings, each with its own CEFR level from Oxford Learner’s Dictionaries and the Cambridge Dictionary.

  1. 1become popular or fashionable
  2. 2start to understand something, often after some time
  1. 1

    Become popular or fashionable

    catch on

    C1No object

    • Electric scooters caught on really fast in our city.
    • The idea was good, but it never caught on.
    • Do you think this new dance will catch on?
  2. 2

    Start to understand something, often after some time

    catch on

    C2No object

    • The game is hard at first, but kids catch on quickly.
    • It took me a while to catch on to the joke.
    • When did your parents catch on that you were skipping class?
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Is catch on separable?

Catch on has no object: The style caught on. To say what someone understands, add to: She caught on to the trick.

Do not mix it up with catch up, which means reach someone or do missed work. Catch on is about new things spreading or people understanding.

Verb tenses for catch on

PresentI catch on · she catches on
Pastcaught on
Present perfecthave caught on
-ing formcatching on

Common mistakes with catch on

What learners often say, and what to say instead.

  • Wrong: The new app caught on it quickly.

    Right: The new app caught on quickly.

    Catch on has no object.

  • Wrong: He finally caught on the joke.

    Right: He finally caught on to the joke.

    Use to before the thing you understand.

  • Wrong: This trend is catching up everywhere.

    Right: This trend is catching on everywhere.

    Trends catch on; catch up means reach a level.

Synonyms and opposites of catch on

Words close to it, and words that mean the opposite.

Similar

Opposite

  • die outslowly disappear and stop being used
  • fall out of fashionstop being popular

Catch on quiz

Three quick questions. Pick an answer to see if it is right and why.

  1. 1Short videos ___ with older people too.

  2. 2Choose the right sentence.

  3. 3“The new teacher catches on fast.” What is the teacher like?

More phrasal verbs with catch

2 phrasal verbs start with catch. Test yourself on all of them in a few minutes.

Test yourself on catchTake the full test

Catch on FAQ

Questions people ask about catch on.

What is the difference between catch on and catch up?

Catch on means become popular or understand. Catch up means reach someone or do work you missed.

What does it didn’t catch on mean?

It means people did not start using or liking something new: The 3D TV never really caught on.

Is catch on informal?

It is a little informal but fine in most writing, especially about trends and new products.

Use catch on in real conversations

In Slova you learn new words with picture cards, then use them when you talk about the things you love. A few minutes a day, at your level.

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