play catch-up
Race to match
To play catch-up is to work hard to reach a level others have already achieved, usually after falling behind: We spent the whole quarter playing catch-up after the slow start.
The phrase suggests a disadvantaged position—you're reacting rather than leading.
In sports, a team playing catch-up trails and must score to close the gap.
- recoverRegain health or possession
- deficitAmount still owed
- lost groundYielded previously held advantage
- striveMake sustained effort
- lag behindFail to keep pace
lagging · fall behind · come from behind · frustration · procrastination · chase · overtaking · struggle · deadline · time crunch · under the gun · recalibration · learning curve · self-doubt · urgency · race · adaptation · haste
play catch-upset the pace
Establish the standard speed
be proactive · call the shots · lead the way · anticipate · take the initiative
play, catch, plays, played, playing, player, players, playful, playfully