caught
7 synonyms for caught, grouped by meaning and by how common each one is.
Verb — Past tense and past participle of catch — to have taken hold of something, or to have been discovered or trapped.
Synonyms
Everyday swaps
Common words most readers know — safe in any writing.
Less common
Still standard English, but they carry more weight.
Rare, literary or technical
Precise, but they will stand out — check the sense before using one.
How to use caught
The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.
caught red-handed
caught off guard
caught a cold
Frequently asked questions
What does “caught” mean?
The word “caught” means past tense and past participle of catch — to have taken hold of something, or to have been discovered or trapped. In plain terms, the past form of catch, whether catching an object, a disease, a train, or someone in the act.
How do you pronounce “caught”?
“Caught” is pronounced kawt (/kɔːt/ in IPA).
How do you use “caught” in a sentence?
Here is “caught” used in a sentence: “He caught the ball with one hand.”
What part of speech is “caught”?
“Caught” is a verb.
Is “caught” a common word?
“Caught” is a very common word in modern English.
Is it "caught" or "catched"?
The correct past tense of catch is caught, not catched. Catch is an irregular verb, so it does not take the usual "-ed" ending; both its simple past and past participle are caught — "she caught the ball," "he has caught a cold." Catched is considered incorrect in modern English.
What does caught mean?
Caught is the past form of catch. It can mean grabbed or captured — "she caught the ball" — or discovered doing something wrong — "he was caught cheating." It also covers being trapped or stuck ("caught in traffic") and coming down with an illness ("caught a cold").
