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capture

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noun

as in prisoner
one that has been taken and held in confinement a Spanish treasure ship was the most valuable capture ever taken by that privateer

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How does the verb capture contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of capture are bag, catch, ensnare, entrap, snare, and trap. While all these words mean "to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing," capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

In what contexts can bag take the place of capture?

In some situations, the words bag and capture are roughly equivalent. However, bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

When is catch a more appropriate choice than capture?

The words catch and capture are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

How do entrap and ensnare relate to one another, in the sense of capture?

Both entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

entrapped the witness with a trick question
a sting operation that ensnared burglars

How is trap related to other words for capture?

Trap, snare, entrap, and ensnare imply seizing by some device that holds the one caught at the mercy of the captor. Trap and snare apply more commonly to physical seizing.

trap animals
snared butterflies with a net

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of capture
Verb
Perhaps most intriguing is the new high-res photo mode which captures a 177-megapixel image and can be used without a tripod according to Panasonic. Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 1 Mar. 2025 While the china of our grandmothers may be a thing of the past (or at least, a thing that remains with Grandma at home), sets like The Pioneer Woman’s dinnerware collection still capture the same classic charm of the past. Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 28 Feb. 2025
Noun
Their harrowing journey — through capture, persecution, and desperate escape — works as a fantastic standalone tale. Matt Cabral, EW.com, 23 Feb. 2025 Cohen's fiance, Ziv Abud, avoided capture by hiding under a pile of bodies the night of the concert. CBS News, 22 Feb. 2025 See All Example Sentences for capture
Recent Examples of Synonyms for capture
Verb
  • The blockbuster also won Best Sound and was nominated for Best Picture, Best Production Design, and Best Cinematography.
    Alison Foreman, IndieWire, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Cena had just won the Men’s Elimination Chamber match, earning him a WWE Championship match at Wrestlemania 41 in Las Vegas, and was celebrating in the ring with Rhodes.
    Armon Sadler, VIBE.com, 3 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • Lozano exited the match in the 28th minute after appearing to grab his left hamstring.
    Ryan Finley, San Diego Union-Tribune, 2 Mar. 2025
  • Tari Eason scored 14 points and Dillon Brooks added 12. Sabonis’ injury Sabonis grabbed his left hamstring while running the floor just over a minute into the game.
    Jason Anderson, Sacramento Bee, 2 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Hamas has freed all 25 living hostages included in the first six-week phase ending on March 1 in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
    Joseph Krauss, Chicago Tribune, 27 Feb. 2025
  • With just days to go before the first phase of the fragile ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas was set to expire, the terrorist group has agreed to release the bodies of four dead Israeli hostages in exchange for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners.
    Bradford Betz, Fox News, 26 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Vogue may earn a portion of sales from products that are purchased through our site as part of our Affiliate Partnerships with retailers.
    Olivia Lidbury, Vogue, 6 Mar. 2025
  • But not every team gets to pack their bags for Indiana—only the top 15 teams in the regular season have earned a ticket to compete.
    Russel Honoré, Newsweek, 6 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • The show follows a Secret Service agent caught in a web of conspiracy after the U.S. president is assassinated, with no suspect in sight.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Attendees pose in front of Halloween decorations, then scramble to catch a photo beneath artificial snow nearby.
    Julius Miller, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Why, in a country where where economic crises abound—and were the basis of large demonstrations in 2017 and 2018, did women’s protests gain the solidarity and support of broad segments of society?
    Narges Mohammadi, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
  • Apple Intelligence is gaining features apace, but there’s one that was announced last June and expected in April this year—an enhanced Siri with greater personalization and the capability to do a lot more.
    David Phelan, Forbes, 7 Mar. 2025
Verb
  • In a lightning three-week offensive, the M23 took control of eastern Congo's main city Goma and seized the second largest city, Bukavu.
    JANVIER BARHAHIGA AND MONIKA PRONCZUK THE ASSOCIATED PRESS, arkansasonline.com, 28 Feb. 2025
  • Late last year, a U.K. court ruled that police can seize more than 2.6 million pounds ($3.3 million) to cover years of unpaid taxes from the pair and freeze some of their accounts.
    STEPHEN McGRATH, TIME, 27 Feb. 2025
Verb
  • Companies Embracing Small Language Models Forward-thinking companies are already reaping the benefits of SLMs.
    Balaji Dhamodharan, Forbes, 3 Mar. 2025
  • Crawford is also reaping the benefits from billionaire George Soros, Gov. JB Pritzker (D-IL), and Gloria Page, the mother of Google co-founder Larry Page, as well as LinkedIn co-founder Reid Hoffman.
    Barnini Chakraborty, Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government, 1 Mar. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Capture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capture. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.

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