Meaning of Catch-22 | Babel Free

Definitions

1. A difficult situation from which there is no escape because it involves mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.
   idiomatic
2. Alternative letter-case form of Catch-22.
   alt-of

Equivalents

Examples

“For us it’s been a real Catch⟳-22: when we have⟳ the time to take⟳ a vacation, we don’t have⟳ enough money, and when we have⟳ enough money, we don’t have⟳ the time.”

“Herein lies my personal “Catch⟳ 22”; the choice between three hours sleep⟳ and some discomfort or six hours sleep⟳ and real pain. Usually I choose⟳ the lesser evil of insomnia because in addition to the pain at 6am, I am incapacitated by the hangover from the sedative.”

“Overall, the subgrouping issue⟳ in S[ino-]T[ibetan] studies is plagued by a familiar Catch⟳-22. Until a more complete⟳ reconstruction of P[roto-]S[ino-]T[ibetan] exists, it is difficult to accurately identify⟳ shared innovations. Yet, without a clear subgrouping, it is difficult to properly weight and evaluate⟳ data from the daughter languages in order⟳ to refine PST reconstructions.”

“Passengers may find⟳ themselves in a catch⟳-22 situation, unable to buy⟳ a ticket for any number⟳ of reasons, ranging from an out-of-order ticket vending machine to a lengthy queue to use⟳ one, and yet then fall⟳ foul of the penalty fare regime.”

CEFR level