latch on

phrasal verb

latched on; latching on; latches on

British, informal

: to begin to understand something

What he was saying was complicated, so it took me a while to latch on.

Examples of latch on in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

This movie tells the story of an antiques dealer who comes into possession of a centuries-old artifact that latches on to its bearer, then grants him eternal life. —

Jordan Crucchiola, Vulture, 29 Oct. 2024 If the groomer still finishes by latching on, then that would be strong support for the hypothesis. —

Byphie Jacobs, science.org, 28 Oct. 2024 The former President posted on Truth Social eight times about it, and his campaign and supporters have also latched on, in a sharp contrast from the notable cordiality shown on stage between Trump’s running mate Ohio Sen. J.D. Vance and his rival, Vice President Kamala Harris’ running mate, Minn. —

Koh Ewe, TIME, 2 Oct. 2024 In 2002, scientists isolated a strain of MRSA that had become resistant to vancomycin, the drug of choice for MRSA infections, by modifying part of its cell wall so that the drug could no longer latch on. —

Dhruv Khullar, The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for latch on