as in hitch
a danger or difficulty that is hidden or not easily recognized
the gotcha in the low monthly rate quoted by the cable company is that it is a teaser and good for only six months
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of gotcha
In a partial charade guise arranged by Mike Cristaldi, the team’s vice president of communications, and his longtime TV partner Eric Collins, Curry was the victim of a gotcha moment.
—
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 Jan. 2026
The gotcha setup sustains a solid level of suspense that carries through the series’ eight episodes (though it could easily have been trimmed to six).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
At a Black Bear party, gotcha reporters and leering industry types jockey to meet her.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
But Kirk’s acolytes seem more interested in a game of gotcha than true, honest discourse.
—Andrea Williams, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gotcha
Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 14 Jan. 2026
The gotcha setup sustains a solid level of suspense that carries through the series’ eight episodes (though it could easily have been trimmed to six).
—Randy Myers, Mercury News, 14 Jan. 2026
At a Black Bear party, gotcha reporters and leering industry types jockey to meet her.
—Tatiana Siegel, Variety, 27 Oct. 2025
But Kirk’s acolytes seem more interested in a game of gotcha than true, honest discourse.
—Andrea Williams, Nashville Tennessean, 10 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for gotcha
Recent Examples of Synonyms for gotcha
Noun
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Production on Michael wraps without a hitch…or so everyone thinks.—
Chris Murphy,
Vanity Fair,
25 Apr. 2026
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We’re trained, maybe, to think that this is just one hitch in Sasha’s journey, but these dead ends keep popping up.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Police had been contacted by Thiamphanit's friends twice the day before her body was found, but the case was allegedly considered medium-risk, per The Times.—
Samira Asma-Sadeque,
PEOPLE,
30 Apr. 2026
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And as climate change is likely to cause more storms in the future, more people will be put at risk.—
Devika Rao,
TheWeek,
30 Apr. 2026
Noun
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While their experience shows the pitfalls of fighting against an unprecedented legal effort, this is also a story about the lengths a couple will go to fight for their love.—
Elizabeth Hernandez,
Denver Post,
26 Apr. 2026
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Then there are the strategic pitfalls posed by the way immigration court works, like the fact that a person only gets one bond hearing.—
Caroline Kubzansky,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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More than two years after the Francis Scott Key Bridge collapsed in Maryland — resulting in the deaths of six construction workers and upending a key route that thousands relied on daily — reconstruction has hit a snag.—
Mike Stunson,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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Students in Pennsylvania experienced similar snags last week as more state education departments are moving to computerized assessments.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Maloney was also successful at FIU, breaking the program bowl-game record for most catches (10) and most receiving yards (178).—
Walter Villa,
Miami Herald,
28 Apr. 2026
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The Seafood Market's fishermen deliver their morning catch directly to the kitchen, no middlemen, no frozen Pacific sole flown from Vietnam.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Apopo says more than six million land mines may still be buried in the soil of Cambodia.—
Scott Simon,
NPR,
11 Apr. 2026
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OpenAI’s paper conspicuously avoids specifying a corporate tax rate, a diplomatic omission that suggests the company knows where the political land mines are buried.—
Nick Lichtenberg,
Fortune,
7 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This is a smart way to stash and develop a player who could pair with kicker Will Reichard for years to come.—
Alec Lewis,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
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The group included kicker Gabe Plascencia (Chicago), offensive tackle Christian Jones (Cincinnati), edge rusher Niles King (Los Angeles Chargers) and cornerback Bryce Phillips (Kansas City).—
Kirk Kenney,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
26 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Gotcha.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/gotcha. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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