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catchy

/ˈkɛtʃi/
/ˈkætʃi/
IPA guide

Other forms: catchiest; catchier

Something that's catchy grabs your attention or sticks in your memory. A catchy TV commercial jingle is one that kids can't stop singing.

Ad executives are always seeking catchy slogans or ideas, and movie distributors work hard to put out catchy trailers for new films. Successful pop musicians have solved the puzzle of how to write a catchy song. In all of these cases, the catchy item appeals to many people and stays with them. The word dates from the 1830s, possibly from the sense of catch meaning "contract an illness that's passed from person to person."

Definitions of catchy
  1. adjective
    likely to attract attention
    “a catchy title for a movie”
    synonyms: attention-getting
    appealing
    able to attract interest or draw favorable attention
  2. adjective
    having concealed difficulty
    “a catchy question”
    synonyms: tricky
    difficult, hard
    not easy; requiring great physical or mental effort to accomplish or comprehend or endure
Pronunciation
US
/ˈkɛtʃi/
UK
/ˈkætʃi/
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DISCLAIMER: These example sentences appear in various news sources and books to reflect the usage of the word ‘catchy'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Vocabulary.com or its editors. Send us feedback
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