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Catch-22 - 20 thesaurus results
| Main Entry: | catch-22 |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | no-win situation |
| Synonyms: | contradiction, dilemma, paradox, quagmire, lose-lose |
| Main Entry: | dead end |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | cul-de-sac; deadlock |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22, blind alley, corner, draw, impasse, obstacle, road block, stalemate, standoff, stumbling block, blank wall, nowhere to turn |
| Main Entry: | deadlock |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | stalemate, impasse |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, box*, cessation, checkmate, corner, dead end, dead heat, dilemma, draw, full stop, gridlock, halt, hole, pause, pickle, plight, posture, predicament, quandary, standoff, standstill, tie, wall* |
| Notes: | stalemate does not end - it is the outcome (stale in stalemate is from Anglo-Norman meaning 'be placed'); a standoff or deadlock can end |
| Antonyms: | agreement, breakthrough |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | dilemma |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | crisis |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, bind*, box*, corner, difficulty, embarrassment, fix, hole, hooker*, impasse, jam, mess, mire, pickle*, plight, predicament, problem, puzzle, quandary, scrape, spot, strait, double bind, perplexity, tight corner |
| Antonyms: | miracle, solution, wonder |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | flaw |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | imperfection |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, blemish, bug, catch*, defect, failing, fault, foible, glitch*, gremlin*, pitfall, slipup, speck, spot, stain, vice, wart*, weak spot, weakness, disfigurement, typo |
| Antonyms: | perfection, strength, fine point |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | hindrance |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | obstruction, difficulty |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, albatross*, baggage*, ball and chain, bar, barrier, catch, check, clog, crimp, deterrent, drag, drawback, encumbrance, glitch*, gridlock, handicap, hang-up*, hitch, impediment, interference, interruption, intervention, joker, limitation, lock, millstone*, monkey wrench*, obstacle, restraint, restriction, snag, stoppage, stumbling block*, trammel, cumbrance, excess baggage, foot dragging, impedance, jam-up |
| Antonyms: | advance, aid, assistance, encouragement, expedition, help, promotion, push |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | impasse |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | stalemate |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, box*, cessation, corner*, cul-de-sac*, dead end, deadlock, dilemma, fix, gridlock, jam, mire*, morass*, pause, pickle*, plight, predicament, quandary, rest, scrape*, standoff, standstill |
| Antonyms: | agreement, breakthrough |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | impediment |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | obstruction, hindrance |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, bar, barricade, barrier, block, bottleneck*, burden, catch*, chain, check, clog, cramp, curb, defect, delay, deterrent, detriment, difficulty, disadvantage, drag*, drawback, encumbrance, fault, flaw, handicap, hazard, hitch, holdup, hurdle, inhibition, load, manacle, millstone*, obstacle, prohibition, red tape*, restraint, restriction, road block*, rub*, setback, shackle, snag, stoppage, stricture, stumbling block*, tie, trammel, wall, blockage, dead weight, retardation, retardment |
| Antonyms: | aid, assistance, furtherance, help, support, facilitation |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | obstacle |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | impediment, barrier |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, bar, block, booby trap*, bump*, catch, check, clog*, crimp*, difficulty, encumbrance, hamper, handicap, hang-up*, hardship, hindrance, hitch*, hurdle, interference, interruption, joker*, monkey wrench*, mountain, obstruction, restriction, rub*, snag, stumbling block*, traverse, vicissitude, disincentive |
| Antonyms: | advantage, assistance, blessing, clearance, help |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | paradox |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | contradiction, puzzle |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, absurdity, ambiguity, anomaly, catch, enigma, error, inconsistency, mistake, mystery, nonsense, oddity, opposite, reverse |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | predicament |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | difficult situation |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, asperity, bad news*, bind*, circumstance, clutch, condition, corner*, crisis, deadlock, dilemma, drag*, emergency, exigency, fix*, hang-up*, hardship, hole, hot water, imbroglio, impasse, jam*, juncture, lot, mess*, muddle, pass, pickle*, pinch, plight, position, posture, puzzle, quagmire, quandary, rigor, scrape*, spot*, state*, strait, vicissitude, deep water, large order, perplexity, rough go, soup*, tall order ticklish spot tight situation trouble* |
| Antonyms: | fix, solution, good fortune |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | quandary |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | delicate situation |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, bewilderment, bind, clutch, corner*, difficulty, dilemma, doubt, embarrassment, hang-up*, impasse, mire, pickle*, plight, predicament, puzzle, spot*, strait, uncertainty, double trouble, perplexity, up a tree |
| Antonyms: | advantage, certainty, solution |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | snag |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | complication in situation |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22, bar, barrier, blockade, brake, bug*, catch, clog, crimp, crunch, curb, difficulty, disadvantage, drag*, drawback, fix*, glitch, hamper, hitch, holdup*, hole*, hurdle, impediment, inconvenience, knot, obstacle, obstruction, pickle*, problem, scrape, spot, stumbling block, cropper, puzzler, the rub, tight spot |
| Antonyms: | advantage, convenience |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | stalemate |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | deadlock |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, arrest, check, delay, draw, gridlock, impasse, pause, standoff, standstill, tie |
| Antonyms: | headway, progress |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | stumbling block |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | hindrance |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, barricade, barrier, blockage, catch, catch*, clog, complication, delay, deterrent, difficulty, discouragement, drag*, drawback, fly in the ointment, handicap, hindrance, hitch, holdup, hurdle, impediment, limitation, obstacle, obstruction, restraint, road block, road block*, setback, snag, stone in one's path, stumbling stone |
* = informal/non-formal usage
| Main Entry: | between the devil and the deep blue sea |
| Part of Speech: | adjective |
| Definition: | in a tight spot |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22, Hobson's choice, between Scylla and Charybdis, between a rock and a hard place, between the hammer and the anvil, between two fires, cornered, in a dilemma, in a pickle, in a predicament, in the middle, no choice, sitting on a powder keg |
| Main Entry: | vicious circle |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | endless loop |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22, chain reaction, domino effect, impasse, causal nexus, chain of circumstances, circularity, concatenation of events, eternal return, vicious cycle |
| Main Entry: | no-win situation |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | a situation destined for failure |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22, conundrum, dilemma, knot, quandary, double bind, lose-lose |
| Main Entry: | catch |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | trick, hidden disadvantage |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22, conundrum, deception, decoy, drawback, hitch, joke, puzzle, snag, stumbling block, trap, fly in the ointment, puzzler |
| Main Entry: | provision/proviso |
| Part of Speech: | noun |
| Definition: | stipulation, condition of agreement |
| Synonyms: | Catch-22*, agreement, catch*, clause, demand, fine print, joker*, limitation, prerequisite, qualification, requirement, reservation, restriction, rider, small print*, specification, stipulation, term, terms, kicker, strings |
* = informal/non-formal usage
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Roget's 21st Century Thesaurus, Third Edition
Copyright © 2009 by the Philip Lief Group.
Cite This Source
Copyright © 2009, Dictionary.com, LLC. All rights reserved.
