Does the Phrase Catch 22 Mean?

What is a catch-22? The Collins English Dictionary defines a catch-22 as follows: “If you describe a situation as a catch-22, you mean it is an impossible situation because you cannot do one thing until you do another thing, but you cannot do the second thing until you do the first thing.”

What's a Catch-22 example?

Coming from the novel of the same name, a Catch-22 is a situation where one is trapped by two contradictory conditions. It's more generally used to refer to a paradox or dilemma. Example: to get a certain job, you need work experience. But to get that work experience, you need to have had a job. It's a Catch-22.

How do you use Catch-22 in a sentence?

She claimed that it was a catch 22 situation for her, since she needs the money the show offers her in order to raise the kids. Not to mention her favorite book is Catch-22 by Joseph Heller.

Robert Thorne

Robert Thorne

Automotive & Future Transportation Editor

Robert Thorne covers electric vehicle innovations, autonomous driving systems, global mobility trends, and automotive engineering developments.