Standard Lemma guide

Catch-22

noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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  • /ˌkætʃ ˌtwɛnti ˈtuː/
  • Southern-England: Recorded audio is listed in the source snapshot.

1

noun

Meaning 1

A difficult situation from which there is no escape because it involves mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: idiomatic

Examples

  • For us it’s been a real Catch-22: when we have the time to take a vacation, we don’t have enough money, and when we have enough money, we don’t have the time.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: Catch-22, dilemma, Hobson's choice, Morton's fork, no-win situation, quandary, Sophie's choice

Antonyms: none provided

2

noun

Meaning 2

Alternative letter-case form of Catch-22.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: alt-of

No example sentence was provided for this meaning.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

Coined by American writer Joseph Heller in 1961 in his novel Catch-22, in which the main character feigns madness in order to avoid dangerous combat missions, but his desire to avoid them is taken to prove his sanity.

Across languages

Translations

20 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Bulgarian: Параграф 22 (Paragraf 22) — difficult situation
  • Bulgarian: параграф 22 (paragraf 22) — difficult situation
  • Czech: Hlava 22 — difficult situation
  • Czech: Hlava XXII — difficult situation
  • Esperanto: dilemo — difficult situation
  • German: Zwickmühle — difficult situation
  • German: Dilemma — difficult situation
  • German: Teufelskreis — difficult situation
  • German: Sackgasse — difficult situation
  • German: ausweglose Situation — difficult situation
  • Hungarian: a 22-es csapdája — difficult situation
  • Hungarian: csapdahelyzet — difficult situation
  • Hungarian: kilátástalan/megoldhatatlan helyzet — difficult situation
  • Polish: Paragraf 22 — difficult situation
  • Polish: paradoks literacki — difficult situation
  • Polish: błędne koło — difficult situation
  • Portuguese: beco sem saída — difficult situation
  • Spanish: problema circular — difficult situation
  • Swedish: moment 22 — difficult situation
  • Turkish: kısırdöngü — difficult situation