What does the idiom “Catch-22” mean?
Definition:
A difficult situation from which there is no escape because options for avoiding it involve contradictions
For example:
“It’s a Catch-22—we can’t get the fare discount without the loyalty card, but to get the loyalty card we’d have to take this flight.”
Notes:
This idiom comes from a novel, Catch-22, by Joseph Heller, and describes a situation in which a soldier is considered insane and unfit for combat if he willingly continues to fly missions. However, asking to be relieved from duty on the basis of insanity shows that he is mentally competent. Consequently, he must continue to serve.
