capture

1 of 2

noun

cap·​ture ˈkap-chər How to pronounce capture (audio)
-shər
plural captures
1
: an act or instance of capturing: such as
a
: an act of catching, winning, or gaining control by force, stratagem, or guile
the capture of the city by enemy forces
The criminals avoided/eluded/escaped capture.
… authorities increased the reward for information leading to his captureRachel Schilke
b
: a move in a board game (such as chess or checkers) that gains an opponent's piece
In the original game of checkers, capture was optional, as it is in modern chess.Jack Botermans et al.
c
: the absorption by an atom, nucleus, or particle of a subatomic particle that often results in subsequent emission of radiation or in fission
d
: the act of recording in a permanent file
data capture
motion capture
e
: any of various methods of removing a substance from something (such as emissions produced by an industrial process) to reduce its presence in the atmosphere
especially : carbon capture sense 1
Coal-fired plants operating in 2040 and beyond would have to use carbon capture and storage technology with 90% capture of carbon. Mike Tony
… mercury capture in incinerator flue gas can be carried out … with high removal efficiencies … Fabrizio Scala
2
: someone or something that is taken or captured (such as a war prize)

capture

2 of 2

verb

captured; capturing ˈkap-chə-riŋ How to pronounce capture (audio)
ˈkap-shriŋ
; captures

transitive verb

1
a
: to take and hold (someone or something) as a captive or prisoner
also : to gain control of especially by force
capture a city
b
: to gain or win especially through effort
captured 60 percent of the vote
2
a
: to emphasize, represent, or preserve (something, such as a scene, mood, or quality) in a more or less permanent form
… at any such moment as a photograph might captureC. E. Montague
b
: to record in a permanent file (as in a computer)
The system is used to capture data relating to the buying habits of young people.
3
: to captivate and hold the interest of
The performer captured our attention.
4
: to take according to the rules of a game
A knight captured his pawn.
5
: to bring about the capture of (a subatomic particle)
6
astronomy : to draw into the gravitational influence of a larger body
Asteroids were thought to be too small to capture a moon, but the moon might be a fragment that broke off.Kenneth Chang
capturable
ˈkap-chə-rə-bəl How to pronounce capture (audio)
-shrə-bəl
adjective
Choose the Right Synonym for capture

catch, capture, trap, snare, entrap, ensnare, bag mean to come to possess or control by or as if by seizing.

catch implies the seizing of something in motion or in flight or in hiding.

caught the dog as it ran by

capture suggests taking by overcoming resistance or difficulty.

capture an enemy stronghold

trap, snare, entrap, 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

entrap and ensnare more often are figurative.

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

bag implies shooting down a fleeing or distant prey.

bagged a brace of pheasants

Examples of capture in a Sentence

Noun the capture of the city by enemy forces a Spanish treasure ship was the most valuable capture ever taken by that privateer Verb They were captured by enemy soldiers. using traps to capture mice The city was captured by the Romans. She captured 60 percent of the vote in the last election. The company plans on capturing a larger segment of the market. The show has captured the attention of teenagers.
Recent Examples on the Web
Noun
This facilitates the capture of new insights and data elements, informing intervention strategies when necessary. Amit Verma, Forbes, 27 Feb. 2024 Devlin reiterates that all of the data Polar ID captures is saved in the trusted execution environment on Qualcomm’s chipset, where it’s encrypted. Julian Chokkattu, WIRED, 26 Feb. 2024 The trio of developers seeks $296 million in tax breaks and future tax captures over 35 years, plus approval of a Community Benefits package and various zoning changes. Detroit Free Press, 20 Feb. 2024 But its capture has allowed the Russians to turn their attention to the south and another vital Ukrainian stronghold, Vuhledar. Josh Holder, New York Times, 17 Feb. 2024 Its capture would have added value to Moscow, with Russia’s presidential election just a few weeks away. Cnn Staff, CNN, 16 Feb. 2024 The basic technology that underlies CHS is straightforward: a combination of video capture, messaging, and gaming interfaces. Connie Chang, The Atlantic, 15 Feb. 2024 Image capture and other measuring tools can ensure correct assembly and unlock fully verifiable quality control, and new processes and product variations can be introduced with the push of a button. Fabio Caversan, Forbes, 23 Feb. 2024 An arrest proves inconsequential; a capture proves to be a red herring. Richard Brody, The New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2024
Verb
With many prisoners captured within the first years of the war, boredom and restlessness were endemic. Jack Bantock, CNN, 9 Mar. 2024 The past few generations of Samsung’s Galaxy Ultra variant have been stellar choices for capturing birds in the air, movement on a tree, or a flaring smoke stack from far away. Florence Ion / Gizmodo, Quartz, 9 Mar. 2024 That soldier was killed and four others were injured in the January explosion, which was captured in a grainy video that circulated on social media. Keegan Hamilton, Los Angeles Times, 9 Mar. 2024 Editor’s Note: The list below combines data from both the Fortune Europe 500 and the Most Powerful Women lists, as captured in 2023. Prarthana Prakash, Fortune Europe, 8 Mar. 2024 Scott Peterson/Getty Images/The Christian Science Monitor Ukrainian military planners hope that assessment and all their defenses hold, as Russia seeks to capitalize on momentum gained in mid-February by capturing Avdiivka, much further south, after a costly four-month onslaught. Scott Peterson, The Christian Science Monitor, 8 Mar. 2024 The complex lyrics are difficult to fully capture from a story perspective. Gloria Oladipo, Washington Post, 8 Mar. 2024 After capturing the moment, Clare knew just who to tell: her daughter Meg Jacobs, a paleontologist from the University of Portsmouth's School of the Environment, Geography, and Geoscience. Kelli Bender, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 This new main camera captures excellent dynamic range with strong bokeh, despite its relatively small 1/1.4-inch sensor size. Ben Sin, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

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.

Word History

Etymology

Noun

Middle French, from Latin captura, from captus — see captive entry 1

First Known Use

Noun

circa 1542, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1574, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of capture was circa 1542

Cite this Entry

“Capture.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/capture. Accessed 18 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

capture

1 of 2 noun
cap·​ture ˈkap-chər How to pronounce capture (audio)
-shər
1
: the act of catching or gaining control by force or trickery
2
: something or someone captured

capture

2 of 2 verb
captured; capturing ˈkap-chə-riŋ How to pronounce capture (audio)
ˈkap-shriŋ
1
a
: to take and hold especially by force
capture a city
b
: to gain or win as if by force
captured first prize
2
: preserve entry 1 sense 1
captured her smile on film
Etymology

Noun

from early French capture "capture," from Latin captura (same meaning), from captus "taken (as a prisoner)," from capere "to take" — related to accept, catch, receive

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