catch-22

Register · Neutral Neutral — appropriate in most situations, both spoken and written, without sounding too casual or too stiff. CEFR C1

Post

Figurative meaning

a no-win situation in which every possible solution is blocked by the very rules of the problem

Why this phrase?

From Joseph Heller's 1961 novel: airmen must be crazy to fly combat missions, but asking to be grounded proves you're sane — so the sane ones have to fly.

Example

“You can't get experience without a job, and you can't get a job without experience — it's a catch-22.”

Dictionary details

Alternate forms

a catch-22 situation

Component words

catch

Tags

Expressions connected by reviewed component words or topic tags.

catch someone's eye Neutral · CEFR B1

to draw someone's notice or interest

brain power Informal · CEFR B1

intelligence or mental ability used to think and solve problems

fall in line Neutral · CEFR B1

to obey or accept the rules and expectations set by a group or authority

golden rule Neutral · CEFR B1

the most important rule or principle to follow

out of the question Neutral · CEFR B1

completely impossible or not permitted

sign on the dotted line Neutral · CEFR B1

to commit yourself formally by signing an agreement

Source methodology

Meanings, register, CEFR, and examples come from the reviewed dictionary record. Expression notes may describe a reviewed present-day word picture or a background note; they are not presented as verified etymology.

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