Definition of prizenext

prize

2 of 4

adjective

prize

3 of 4

verb (1)

1
2
as in to pull
to raise, move, or pull apart with or as if with a lever trying to prize apart the jammed gears

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

prize

4 of 4

verb (2)

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun prize differ from other similar words?

Some common synonyms of prize are booty, loot, plunder, spoils, and spoil. While all these words mean "something taken from another by force or craft," prize applies to spoils captured on the high seas or territorial waters of the enemy.

the wartime right of seizing prizes at sea

Where would booty be a reasonable alternative to prize?

The meanings of booty and prize largely overlap; however, booty implies plunder to be shared among confederates.

thieves dividing up their booty

When would loot be a good substitute for prize?

While the synonyms loot and prize are close in meaning, loot applies especially to what is taken from victims of a catastrophe.

picked through the ruins for loot

When might plunder be a better fit than prize?

Although the words plunder and prize have much in common, plunder applies to what is taken not only in war but in robbery, banditry, grafting, or swindling.

a bootlegger's plunder

How do spoil and spoils relate to one another, in the sense of prize?

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

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of prize
Noun
The prize this year is presented for in collaboration with Google Arts & Culture and co-commissioned and coproduced with nonprofit Forma. News Desk, Artforum, 7 July 2026 At the end of the run, the winner takes home a $100,000 cash prize, a recording deal with Universal Music Latino, and artistic development and international exposure opportunities through partner GTS. Veronica Villafañe, Forbes.com, 7 July 2026
Verb
Much of what’s made here starts with beaver felt, prized in traditional Western hatmaking for its density, resilience, and ability to hold a shape. Jessica Chapel, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 July 2026 Beef was prized, and chicken was often saved for egg production. Teresa Mull, FOXNews.com, 4 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for prize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prize
Noun
  • Here's what to know about one of Europe's most significant historical treasures.
    Tiago Ventura, Time, 10 July 2026
  • In return, the British Museum will loan treasures from the Sutton Hoo hoard — artifacts from a 7th century Anglo Saxon ship burial — and other items to museums in Normandy.
    ABC News, ABC News, 10 July 2026
Noun
  • Both are well in the hunt for the World Cup’s Golden Boot award, having scored crucial winning goals for their countries almost every step of the way.
    Jack Pitt-Brooke, New York Times, 11 July 2026
  • Chung recently received her first award from the National Institutes of Health for a research project to understand how genetically identical cells respond differently to stimuli, such as treatments or environmental cues.
    Rachel Martin, Hartford Courant, 11 July 2026
Adjective
  • While San Francisco’s bullpen is struggling, Rogers is in the midst of another excellent season after signing a three-year, $37 million deal to join the defending American League champions.
    Justice delos Santos, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Guests can borrow, for no charge, one of four Mate e-bikes for spins around the park or beyond, say to Tanimachi nearby for local neighborhood vibes, including charming izakayas, gyoza shops, and excellent, one-woman restaurants such as Tachiaoi.
    Kathryn Romeyn, Travel + Leisure, 7 July 2026
Verb
  • Williams pulls even with Steffi Graf for the most major championships in the Open era, which began in 1968.
    Assistant Sports Editor, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • As the sun expands, gravitational tides act like a subtle brake, slowly draining Earth's orbital energy and pulling the planet inward.
    Sharmila Kuthunur, Space.com, 8 July 2026
Verb
  • Empathy and active listening appear among the 10 core skills employers value most, alongside analytical thinking, resilience and creativity.
    Dan Fitzpatrick, Forbes.com, 11 July 2026
  • But this view risks fetishizing embodiment and emotion, much the same way that previous generations valued reason and language to an outsized degree to prove that humans are distinct from animals.
    Meghan O’Gieblyn, The New York Review of Books, 11 July 2026
Noun
  • The obvious gem of the collection is the attention-getting title story, about the Canadian Nobel laureate Alice Munro, who died in 2024 — and whose complex, layered short fiction Aviv admires.
    Julia M. Klein, Los Angeles Times, 8 July 2026
  • When a blight hits the island, the result of a curse that began when Maui stole a gem representing the heart of the goddess Te Fiti, Moana gets her quest and excuse to voyage — to find the missing Maui and force him to return the stone.
    Alison Willmore, Vulture, 8 July 2026
Noun
  • Artists and productions here have earned two Pulitzer Prizes, 22 Tony Awards, and more than 160 Jeff Awards, among other accolades.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 10 July 2026
  • After hearing all his accomplishments and accolades from his 40+ year career, Yoshiki is taken aback in disbelief.
    Laura Sirikul, Forbes.com, 10 July 2026
Adjective
  • Naturally, minds will go back to 1986, when Argentina beat England 2-1 and Diego Maradona scored arguably the greatest World Cup goal of all-time.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 12 July 2026
  • And the greatest Golden Boot chase in World Cup history as greats Lionel Messi, Kylian Mbappe, Haaland and Kane rose like giants.
    Miami Herald, Miami Herald, 12 July 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prize. Accessed 12 Jul. 2026.

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