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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

Examples of capture in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
However, experts were concerned the trial was not long enough to fully capture results. Sandee Lamotte, CNN, 18 Sep. 2024 In Multiverse of Madness, Wanda, desperate to reunite with her sons, tries to capture a superhero named America Chavez. Eliana Dockterman, TIME, 18 Sep. 2024
Noun
The Pros also get ProRes capture at 4K120, Log video recording, and Academy Color Encoding System. PCMAG, 12 Sep. 2024 But beyond this foundational understanding, PMF holds profound insights into innovation, product strategy, market and customer engagement, and the sustainable capture of value. David Henkin, Forbes, 10 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for capture 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'capture.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Thesaurus Entries Near capture

Cite this Entry

“Capture.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/capture. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.

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