English idiom

catch-22

Register · Neutral 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

to draw someone's notice or interest

brain power

intelligence or mental ability used to think and solve problems

fall in line

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

golden rule

the most important rule or principle to follow

out of the question

completely impossible or not permitted

sign on the dotted line

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.

External links

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