# catching

/ˈkætʃɪŋ/ (US) · /kˈætʃɪŋ/ (UK)

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/catching
Updated: 2026-06-19

## Senses

### 1. grabbing or receiving

verb · CEFR A2

the action of grabbing a moving object or getting a sickness.

For teachers: the present participle of 'catch', used in continuous tenses to denote the act of intercepting an object or contracting an illness.

- He was catching the ball when he tripped and fell on the grass.
- The goalkeeper was catching every shot with ease until the heavy rain made the ball too slippery to handle safely.

### 2. infectious

adjective · CEFR B2 · Informal

used to describe a disease or a feeling that spreads easily from person to person.

For teachers: describing a pathogen or emotional state that is easily transmitted through contact or proximity.

- Be careful because the cold I have is very catching.
- Her enthusiasm for the project was catching, and soon the entire department was working overtime to meet the deadline.

### 3. attractive

adjective · CEFR C1 · Literary

something that is very attractive or easy to remember.

For teachers: possessing a quality that captures interest or is easily recalled; often synonymous with 'catchy' in modern usage.

- The melody was so catching that I hummed it all afternoon.
- The author has a catching style of prose that keeps the reader engaged even during the more technical chapters of the biography.

### 4. the act of capture

noun · CEFR B1

the act of grabbing or stopping something that is moving.

For teachers: the gerund form functioning as a noun to describe the event or skill of intercepting a moving object.

- His catching has improved a lot since he started practicing every day.
- The coach focused the afternoon session entirely on catching, as several players had struggled with high balls during the previous match.

## Examples

- Her laugh is very catching.
- The doctor warned that the new strain of the virus is highly catching among school children.
- While the term is often reserved for pathology, a leader's enthusiasm can be just as catching, spreading through a stagnant department and revitalising the collective morale.

---

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.