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Catch-22

A difficult situation from which there is no escape because it involves mutually conflicting or dependent conditions.

Etymology:

  • Title of the novel by Joseph Heller, in which the main character feigns madness in order to avoid dangerous combat missions, but his desire to avoid them is taken to prove his sanity.
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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.

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Submitted on July 07, 2010

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Nearby phrases

Some more phrases from our dictionary similar to Catch-22

catch upcatch someone's driftcatch upCatch You Latercatch-as-catch-cancatch you on the flip sidecatch upcatch you latercatch-as-catch-cancatch the eyecatch the sunthrow a sprat to catch a mackerelcatch upcatch up

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