capture 1 of 2

capture

2 of 2

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

Examples 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
The poster said that the moment was captured around 12:30 a.m. local time in their old house, a place where the windows don't open. Thomas G. Moukawsher, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024 As Crawley told IndieWire, one key advantage of VistaVision was that its wider field of view meant the filmmakers could capture expansive architecture without resorting to distorting wide-angle lenses. Jim Hemphill, IndieWire, 12 Dec. 2024
Noun
For companies just ramping up with digital capture, NavVis also offers a reality capture service. Carolyn Schwaar, Forbes, 9 Dec. 2024 The rebel forces who routed Assad’s forces—with the swift capture of the major Syrian cities of Aleppo, Hamas, and Homs—jolted both Putin and Iran. Benjamin Weinthal, Fox News, 8 Dec. 2024 See all Example Sentences for capture 
Recent Examples of Synonyms for capture
Verb
  • Here’s a look at Saturday, Dec. 14, 2024 winning numbers for each game Cash Ball 01-10-25-31, Cash Ball: 25 Check Cash Ball payouts and previous drawings here.
    Ray Padilla, The Courier-Journal, 15 Dec. 2024
  • Lottery News:Man can't find second winning lottery ticket, sues over $394 million jackpot, lawsuit says Powerball winning numbers for 12/14/2024 The winning numbers for the Powerball drawing on Saturday, Dec. 14 are 11, 17, 23, 52 and 67.
    Ahjané Forbes, USA TODAY, 15 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Some Broad Ripple Starbucks lovers woke up to a surprise Thursday morning while stopping to grab a cup of Joe.
    Alysa Guffey, The Indianapolis Star, 13 Dec. 2024
  • Rather than going cold turkey on nightly dinner dates, try scaling back to just weekends, then using Thursday nights to grab drinks with your college pals.
    Jenna Ryu, SELF, 13 Dec. 2024
Noun
  • Over the past 10 days, White Helmets already collected more than 400 dead bodies of prisoners and discovered more than 100 mass graves, Anselmo said.
    Cybele Mayes-Osterman, USA TODAY, 9 Dec. 2024
  • Reuters said that many of the prisoners exonerated through Krasner's efforts were Black.
    Paul Du Quenoy, Newsweek, 9 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • While at the luncheon, Grande also gushed to Entertainment Tonight about receiving her first-ever Golden Globe nomination the same year Selena Gomez and Miley Cyrus both earned nods.
    Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 18 Dec. 2024
  • By the turn of the century, Hiller writes, these domestic workers headed elsewhere to earn their wages, leaving the housewives to tend to kitchen affairs.
    Michelle Mastro, JSTOR Daily, 18 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • But time might be running out for Belichick at his age (72) to get back to the NFL and score the 26 wins needed to catch Shula.
    David K. Li, NBC News, 12 Dec. 2024
  • The 11-year-old girl was believed to be on a metal boat, which was caught in a storm that lasted several days in the central Mediterranean Sea.
    Charna Flam, People.com, 12 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Large companies gain resilience and flexibility, while MSMEs build know-how, human capital, and market access.
    Kweilin Ellingrud, Forbes, 19 Dec. 2024
  • Under the terms of the deal, the company will gain the exclusive global license to develop, manufacture, and commercialize Chinese drugmaker Hansoh Pharmaceutical Group Co.’s HS-10535, an experimental oral drug that targets the receptors for GLP-1, Merck said in a statement Wednesday.
    Eleanor Pringle, Fortune Asia, 19 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • In between lies what's known as the area of separation. Rebels, some of them receiving Israeli aid, had previously seized positions on the Syrian side of the Golan Heights at the onset of the country's civil war.
    Gordon G. Chang, Newsweek, 12 Dec. 2024
  • Detectives seized video from the bank and sent it around to other officers, one of whom recognized Bryan, according to court records.
    Nate Gartrell, The Mercury News, 11 Dec. 2024
Verb
  • Let the wash sit on your skin for an extra minute to really reap its skin-nourishing benefits.
    Deanna Pai, Allure, 13 Dec. 2024
  • In the course of the past few years, corporations have learned to gamify the system in order to reap payments from the government, while simultaneously making necessary care more expensive for patients.
    Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 12 Dec. 2024

Thesaurus Entries Near capture

Cite this Entry

“Capture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capture. Accessed 22 Dec. 2024.

More from Merriam-Webster on capture

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!