Synonyms of capture

capture 1 of 2

verb

1

as in to win

to receive as return for effort

the movie's producers captured several awards for their work

Synonyms & Similar Words

• win
• earn
• gain
• reap
• garner
• make
• obtain
• get
• attain
• land
• acquire
• secure
• realize
• procure
• draw
• achieve
• carry
• bring in
• come by
• pull down
• knock down
• accomplish
• bag
• accumulate
• recapture
• score
• occupy
• gross
• net
• regain
• amass
• catch
• clear
• take over
• pick up
• annex
• rack up
• notch (up)
• remake
• reacquire
• reattain

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• lose
• give
• pay
• forfeit
• grant
• yield
• surrender
• give up
• accord
• relinquish
• part (with)
• hand over

2

as in to grab

to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly

captured the cat just as it was about to escape out the front door

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grab
• catch
• seize
• snatch
• get
• trap
• land
• nab
• snag
• take hold (of)
• snare
• hook
• snap (up)
• corral
• net
• grapple
• nail
• rap
• bag
• grasp
• cop
• hold
• apprehend
• arrest
• nobble
• detain
• collar
• glom
• secure
• clutch
• kidnap
• rope
• grip
• glove
• bay
• entrap
• ensnare
• abduct
• wrest
• fist
• clasp
• rend
• latch (on or onto)
• lasso
• fasten (on)
• corner
• mesh
• entangle
• halter
• spirit (away or off)
• enmesh

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• miss
• release
• liberate
• discharge
• free
• drop
• loosen
• unhand

capture

2 of 2

noun

ˈkap-chər 

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

• prisoner
• captive
• internee
• convict
• arrestee
• jailbird
• abductee
• coprisoner
• kidnappee

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• guard
• marshal
• keeper
• captor
• guardian
• custodian
• warden
• jailer
• kidnapper
• abductor

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

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of capture

Verb

Stick around for the stage’s headliner, Chicagoland native John Summit, whose brand of infectious house music has captured the hearts of fans around the world. — Britt Julious, Chicago Tribune, 26 July 2026

But her jump shot, which has been blessed by the NBA 3-point king Stephen Curry himself, is what captured the national imagination. — Sabreena Merchant, New York Times, 26 July 2026

Noun

The zoo eventually gave up their attempts at capture (all of them staggeringly inept, most of them horrifying), and Flaco spent the next year zipping around Central Park and beyond. — Kate Erbland, IndieWire, 30 July 2026

Among the exceptions for asylum-seekers crossing from the United States is one for people who can evade capture for two weeks, which resets the asylum-claim clock. — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 29 July 2026