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

While camera jibs capture the wide views, Flannery is there on stage, weaving through dancers while wearing his nearly 80-pound camera. —Jayna Bardahl, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026

The arrest was captured on video, which was published by several media outlets. —Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 3 Feb. 2026

Noun

Coyle's capture so soon after Corbett's release illustrates the ongoing risks faced by Americans in Afghanistan, even those with long-standing legal status and deep ties to local communities. —Camilla Schick, CBS News, 26 Jan. 2026

Trump’s push for Greenland, as well as other international events like the capture of Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro, have pushed metals prices upward this month as investors look to gold and silver as safe-haven assets. —Conor Murray, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026