fail to catch

verb phrase

Pronunciation: /feɪl tuː kætʃ/

Definition

Not hearing, understanding, or noticing something that was spoken or presented.

Examples

• I failed to catch the name of the person who just walked into the room.

• She failed to catch the subtle joke, so she didn't laugh along with the rest of the group.

• The student failed to catch the teacher's instructions because of the noise in the hallway.

Synonyms of fail to catch

Words with a similar meaning to fail to catch:

• miss
• not hear
• misunderstand
• fail to grasp

Antonyms of fail to catch

Words with the opposite meaning to fail to catch:

• catch
• understand

Browse the full Anaversity dictionary