1
: something offered or striven for in competition or in contests of chance
also
: premium sense 1d
2
: something exceptionally desirable
3
archaic
: a contest for a reward : competition
1
a
: awarded or worthy of a prize
b
: awarded as a prize
c
: entered for the sake of a prize
a prize drawing
2
: outstanding of a kind
raised prize hogs
prized; prizing
1
: something taken by force, stratagem, or threat
especially
: property lawfully captured at sea in time of war
2
: an act of capturing or taking
especially
: the wartime capture of a ship and its cargo at sea
Synonyms
Noun (1)
Adjective
- A-OK
- A1
- awesome
- bang-up
- banner
- beautiful
- blue-chip
- blue-ribbon
- boffo
- bonny [chiefly British]
- bonnie
- boss [slang]
- brag
- brave
- bully
- bumper
- capital
- choice
- classic
- cool [slang]
- corking
- crackerjack
- cracking
- dandy
- divine
- dope [slang]
- down [slang]
- dynamite
- excellent
- fab
- fabulous
- famous
- fantabulous [slang]
- fantastic
- fine
- first-class
- first-rate
- first-string
- five-star
- four-star
- frontline
- gangbusters
- gangbuster
- gilt-edged
- gilt-edge
- gone [slang]
- grand
- great
- groovy
- heavenly
- high-class
- hot
- hype [slang]
- immense
- jim-dandy
- keen
- lovely
- marvelous
- marvellous
- mean
- neat
- nifty
- noble
- number one
- No. 1
- numero uno
- out-of-sight [slang]
- par excellence
- peachy
- peachy keen
- phat [slang]
- prime
- primo [slang]
- prizewinning
- quality
- radical [slang]
- righteous [slang]
- sensational
- slick
- splendid
- stellar
- sterling
- superb
- superior
- superlative
- supernal
- swell
- terrific
- tip-top
- top
- top-notch
- top-of-the-line
- top-shelf
- topflight
- topping [chiefly British]
- unsurpassed
- wizard [chiefly British]
- wonderful
Verb (1)
Verb (2)
Examples of prize in a Sentence
Adjective
Dad brought back his prize catch, a three-foot striped bass.
I felt a prize fool for making such a stupid mistake.
Recent Examples on the Web
USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
An invading country cannot easily seize chip manufacturing as a prize of war, such as oil rigs or mines, Kuo said.
—Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
The Power Play multiplier does not apply to prizes win in the Double Play drawing.
—Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2024
Winning players are entered for a chance to win free burritos for a year — and 53 fans will be selected to receive the prize.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
How many Powerball numbers are needed to win a prize?
—Keisha Rowe, The Courier-Journal, 3 Apr. 2024
The chances of winning any prize, the smallest of which is $4, are 1 in 24.87.
—Jordan Freiman, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
The season started with 18 castaways, all vying for the $1 million prize.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 3 Apr. 2024
Just eight women have been nominated for the Academy Awards’ best director prize, with Lina Wertmüller, Sofia Coppola, Emerald Fennell and this year’s nominee Justine Triet rounding out that group.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024
Steve Bender, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2024
Bright orange like a Circus Peanut with a fire engine red stripe, palominos are prized in stocker-rich states.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 4 Apr. 2024
There’s a reason that Imax prizes its relationships with auteurs like Nolan, Todd Phillips, Jordan Peele and Paul Thomas Anderson, to name a few filmmakers who have worked, or will work, with Imax.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
It can be added early on with other enzymes when milk is heated to form curds, or sprayed on the cheese later to help the ripening process and promote the soft, white rind prized by Camembert-lovers.
—Josh Lederman, NBC News, 29 Mar. 2024
The rum most prized by devotees is grand arôme, which is generally described as the French equivalent of funky, high-ester Jamaican pot still rum.
—Tony Sachs, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings:
6
Found 60 miles offshore in deep, cool waters, royal reds are the kings of Gulf shrimp, prized for their lobster-sweet meat.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
In a city built on photo ops, this was the most prized of all.
—Joe Heim, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
While hating on the greedy banks and bashing capitalism plays well with the animated and very-online progressive movement, the fact remains that so much of what powers the broader economy is reliant on that system that prizes easy and reliable access to capital.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 18 Mar. 2024
Noun
The largest Powerball jackpot ever won was in November 2022, when a single winner in California walked away with the $2.04 billion prize.
—USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
An invading country cannot easily seize chip manufacturing as a prize of war, such as oil rigs or mines, Kuo said.
—Frank Shyong, Los Angeles Times, 6 Apr. 2024
The Power Play multiplier does not apply to prizes win in the Double Play drawing.
—Tanya Wildt, Detroit Free Press, 4 Apr. 2024
Winning players are entered for a chance to win free burritos for a year — and 53 fans will be selected to receive the prize.
—Sabrina Weiss, Peoplemag, 3 Apr. 2024
How many Powerball numbers are needed to win a prize?
—Keisha Rowe, The Courier-Journal, 3 Apr. 2024
The chances of winning any prize, the smallest of which is $4, are 1 in 24.87.
—Jordan Freiman, CBS News, 3 Apr. 2024
The season started with 18 castaways, all vying for the $1 million prize.
—Victoria Moorwood, The Enquirer, 3 Apr. 2024
Just eight women have been nominated for the Academy Awards’ best director prize, with Lina Wertmüller, Sofia Coppola, Emerald Fennell and this year’s nominee Justine Triet rounding out that group.
—Angelique Jackson, Variety, 25 Mar. 2024
Verb
This classic Mediterranean herb is prized for its downy leaves, purple blooms, and strong, heady fragrance.
—Steve Bender, Southern Living, 6 Apr. 2024
Bright orange like a Circus Peanut with a fire engine red stripe, palominos are prized in stocker-rich states.
—Joe Cermele, Outdoor Life, 4 Apr. 2024
There’s a reason that Imax prizes its relationships with auteurs like Nolan, Todd Phillips, Jordan Peele and Paul Thomas Anderson, to name a few filmmakers who have worked, or will work, with Imax.
—Rebecca Rubin, Variety, 4 Apr. 2024
It can be added early on with other enzymes when milk is heated to form curds, or sprayed on the cheese later to help the ripening process and promote the soft, white rind prized by Camembert-lovers.
—Josh Lederman, NBC News, 29 Mar. 2024
The rum most prized by devotees is grand arôme, which is generally described as the French equivalent of funky, high-ester Jamaican pot still rum.
—Tony Sachs, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2024
Active Time: 15 mins Total Time: 20 mins Servings:
6
Found 60 miles offshore in deep, cool waters, royal reds are the kings of Gulf shrimp, prized for their lobster-sweet meat.
—Southern Living Test Kitchen, Southern Living, 22 Mar. 2024
In a city built on photo ops, this was the most prized of all.
—Joe Heim, Washington Post, 20 Mar. 2024
While hating on the greedy banks and bashing capitalism plays well with the animated and very-online progressive movement, the fact remains that so much of what powers the broader economy is reliant on that system that prizes easy and reliable access to capital.
—Philip Elliott, TIME, 18 Mar. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'prize.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near prize
Cite this Entry
“Prize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/prize. Accessed 19 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
prize
1 of 5 noun1
: something won or to be won in a contest
2
: something unusually valuable or eagerly sought
prize
2 of 5 adjective1
a
: awarded a prize
a prize essay
b
: awarded as a prize
prize money
2
: outstanding of its kind
a prize fool
a prize student
prize
4 of 5 noun
: something taken (as in war) especially at sea
Etymology
Noun
Middle English pris "prize, price, value," from early French pris (same meaning), from Latin pretium "price, money" — related to price
Verb
Middle English prisen "to appraise, esteem," from early French prisier (same meaning), from Latin pretiare (same meaning), from earlier pretium (noun) "price, value"
Noun
Middle English prise "something taken by force or threat," from early French prise "taking, seizure," from prendre "to take," from Latin prehendere "to take"
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