prize

1 of 5

noun (1)

ˈprīz 

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

prize

2 of 5

adjective

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

prize

3 of 5

verb (1)

prized; prizing

transitive verb

1

: to estimate the value of : rate

2

: to value highly : esteem

a prized possession

prize

4 of 5

noun (2)

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

prize

5 of 5

verb (2)

prized; prizing

transitive verb

: to press, force, or move with a lever : pry

Synonyms

Noun (1)

• catch
• gem
• jewel
• pearl
• plum
• treasure

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)

• appreciate
• cherish
• love
• treasure
• value

Verb (2)

• corkscrew
• extract
• pry
• pull
• root (out)
• tear (out)
• uproot
• wrest
• wring
• yank

Choose the Right Synonym for prize

Verb (1)

appreciate, value, prize, treasure, cherish mean to hold in high estimation.

appreciate often connotes sufficient understanding to enjoy or admire a thing's excellence.

appreciates fine wine

value implies rating a thing highly for its intrinsic worth.

values our friendship

prize implies taking a deep pride in something one possesses.

Americans prize their freedom

treasure emphasizes jealously safeguarding something considered precious.

a treasured memento

cherish implies a special love and care for something.

cherishes her children above all

Noun (2)

spoil, plunder, booty, prize, loot mean something taken from another by force or craft.

spoil, more commonly spoils, applies to what belongs by right or custom to the victor in war or political contest.

the spoils of political victory

plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.

the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

Examples of prize in a Sentence

Noun (1)

in the view of most of her friends, her current boyfriend is certainly no prize

the Pritzker Architecture Prize is the world's most prestigious honor in the field of architecture

Adjective

Dad brought back his prize catch, a three-foot striped bass.

I felt a prize fool for making such a stupid mistake.

Verb (1)

veterinarians know that pets are highly prized by their owners

Verb (2)

prizing the stubborn nails out of the board

trying to prize apart the jammed gears

Recent Examples on the Web

Noun

Maybe this year, in homage to Keith, mark this momentous occasion by spinning his many songs while serving up a Kentucky bourbon pie and rooting for Render Judgment to take the top prize at Louisville's famed Churchill Downs track. —Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 28 Apr. 2025

No, no one else won the jackpot, Match 5 + Power Play $2 million prize, or the Match 5 $1 million prize. —Julia Gomez, USA Today, 28 Apr. 2025

Verb

It’s also cleverly engineered to do double duty: compost solid scraps and collect compost tea, a potent liquid fertilizer prized by plant lovers. —Bailey Berg, Architectural Digest, 17 Apr. 2025

Habitat destruction, particularly deforestation, as well as hunting for their feathers, which were highly prized for millinery purposes, contributed to their downfall. —Scott Travers, Forbes.com, 13 Apr. 2025

Word History

Etymology

Noun (1)

Middle English pris prize, price — more at price entry 1

Verb (1)

Middle English prisen, from Anglo-French priser, preiser to appraise, esteem, from Late Latin pretiare, from Latin pretium price, value — more at price entry 1

Noun (2)

Middle English prise, from Anglo-French, taking, seizure, from prendre to take, from Latin prehendere — more at get

Verb (2)

prize lever

First Known Use

Noun (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Adjective

1739, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Verb (1)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Noun (2)

14th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb (2)

1574, in the meaning defined above

Phrases Containing prize

• consolation prize
• door prize
• grand prize
• prize-giving
• prize money

Rhymes for prize

• ais
• ayes
• buys
• cries
• dies
• dries
• dyes
• eyes
• flies
• fries
• grise
• guys

Kids Definition

prize

1 of 5 noun

ˈprīz 

1

: something won or to be won in a contest

2

: something unusually valuable or eagerly sought

prize

2 of 5 adjective

1

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

3 of 5 verb

prized; prizing

1

: to estimate the value of

2

: to value highly : treasure

prize

4 of 5 noun

: something taken (as in war) especially at sea

prize

5 of 5 verb

prized; prizing

: to force or move with or as if with a lever : pry

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"

Legal Definition

prize

noun

1

: property (as a ship) lawfully captured in time of war

2

: the wartime capture of a ship and its cargo at sea