variants
or catch-all
plural catchalls or catch-alls
: something designed or serving to catch, hold, account for, or include miscellaneous items or a wide variety of things
The secret weapon for battling kitchen clutter in this case is a simple tray. … The trays act as catch-alls or places to neatly store anything that gets left out.—
Marie Rossiter
Marie RossiterAfter a period of rapidly rising consumer prices, "inflation" is a catchall for economic woes.—Edward Lotterman
—often used before another nounEdward Lottermana catchall bin
… long COVID, the catchall term for the sometimes debilitating health problems that can last for months or years after even a mild case of COVID-19.—Lauran Neergaard
Lauran NeergaardExamples of catchall in a Sentence
They used the drawer as a catchall for kitchen items.
“The arts” is a catchall for a variety of activities from painting to music.
Recent Examples on the Web
While voters say their top concern is the economy, family life offers a robust catchall for how voters feel about the state of the country – and offers the campaigns a way to share their visions for America.
—Ali Martin, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2024
The name Ruby became the catchall reference for the scandal, which stained the country’s image abroad.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2024
Use it in the living room as a couch-side catchall, upgrade your standard nightstands with a pair in pink, or double down on a spirited art display by using the Aglaé as a sculpture pedestal.
—Rachel Gallaher, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024
Use a tortoiseshell tray on your vanity to hold jewelry or keepsakes, or place a tray on your console table as an elegant catchall for keys, wallets, and spare change.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for catchall 
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Ali Martin, The Christian Science Monitor, 31 Oct. 2024
The name Ruby became the catchall reference for the scandal, which stained the country’s image abroad.
—Emma Bubola, New York Times, 13 Oct. 2024
Use it in the living room as a couch-side catchall, upgrade your standard nightstands with a pair in pink, or double down on a spirited art display by using the Aglaé as a sculpture pedestal.
—Rachel Gallaher, Robb Report, 27 Oct. 2024
Use a tortoiseshell tray on your vanity to hold jewelry or keepsakes, or place a tray on your console table as an elegant catchall for keys, wallets, and spare change.
—Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for catchall
Dictionary Entries Near catchall
Cite this Entry
“Catchall.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/catchall. Accessed 28 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
catchall
noun
catch·all
ˈkach-ˌȯl 
ˈkech-
: something to hold a variety of odds and ends
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