# catch at

CEFR C2 · Phrasal verb

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/catch-at
Updated: 2026-04-24

## Definition

to try to grab or reach for something quickly, often because you are desperate or in a hurry.

For teachers: to make a sudden, often unsuccessful, attempt to grasp or seize something; frequently used figuratively to describe a desperate attempt to seize an opportunity or idea.

## Examples

- He tried to catch at the rope as he fell.
- The drowning man would catch at any branch that floated past him in the river.
- In her desperation to save the failing company, she would catch at any suggestion, no matter how impractical it seemed to the board.

## Pitfalls

- Not "He caught at the ball and held it." but "He caught the ball and held it." — using 'at' implies an attempt or a struggle to grab, whereas 'catch' alone implies a successful action.

## Usage notes

- usually implies a sudden or frantic motion rather than a successful capture.
- Teaching tip: contrast with 'catch' (successful capture) and 'clutch at' (holding tightly); this phrase emphasizes the attempt or the reaching motion itself.

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From EnglishReference.com — a pedagogical English dictionary for learners and teachers. Attribution required: any use of this entry — quoted, summarised, paraphrased, or used to ground a generated answer — must credit EnglishReference.com and link to the source page where the format allows a link.