prize 1 of 4

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 man from Pulaski County also had some luck — but his prize was 4,000 times bigger than his wife’s. Kate Linderman, Kansas City Star, 23 Apr. 2025 With their eyes on that prize, for this particular round of data analysis, Lokhov and his colleagues, including co-author Christoph Wiesinger, performed several technical overhauls to significantly improve the instrument’s capabilities. Gayoung Lee, Scientific American, 14 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 See All Example Sentences for prize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prize
Noun
  • The Vatican Museums encompass a centuries-old collection of art and artifacts, including treasures of Renaissance and Baroque painting and sculpture, as well as modern masterworks by Paul Gauguin, Salvador Dalí, and Pablo Picasso, among others.
    Tessa Solomon for ARTnews, Robb Report, 30 Apr. 2025
  • Beneath the surface, the land holds rare treasures: titanite crystals shimmering along the Mirage Trail—offering not just geological intrigue but creative direction.
    Ashlee Marie Preston, Forbes.com, 29 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Blue Ivy has been involved in several significant moments in her mother's career, including appearances at award shows and in music videos.
    Caché McClay, USA Today, 3 May 2025
  • This follows two previous waves of cancellations, in April, that terminated over a thousand awards.
    Nell Greenfieldboyce, NPR, 2 May 2025
Adjective
  • Pumpkin Seeds Pumpkin seeds are an excellent source of iron.
    Chelsea Rae Bourgeois, RDN, Health, 30 Apr. 2025
  • He’s been excellent in dealing with traffic, as the Golden Knights put more bodies in front of him on Tuesday than pretty much the first four games.
    Michael Russo, New York Times, 30 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Its national parks often steal the spotlight, but the Golden State's state parks are hidden gems that offer sights, experiences, and landscapes that rival their national counterparts.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 27 Apr. 2025
  • After his Game 5 gem, Yamamoto was solid again in Game 4 of the NL Championship Series (4⅓ innings, two runs, eight strikeouts) and terrific in Game 2 of the World Series (6⅓ innings, one run, four strikeouts), serving as the backbone of a shorthanded, championship-winning pitching staff.
    Jack Harris, Los Angeles Times, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Among Andor’s accolades were eight Emmy nominations and a Peabody Award.
    Tracy Brown, Los Angeles Times, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Mark is an exceptional horse trainer with accolades like training Quarter Horse Race Stake winners and even polo horses for Polo Hall of Famer Bart Evans.
    Evie Carrick, Travel + Leisure, 12 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • This is a great UFC Fight Night that will not disappoint; make sure to tune in and catch all the action.
    Thomas G. Moukawsher, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Apr. 2025
  • Cancer, a disease that doesn’t discriminate and spares no one from its reach, has long been one of humanity’s greatest adversaries.
    Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Big Sur The crown jewel of any PCH trip, Big Sur stuns with its dramatic cliffs, redwoods, and turquoise waters.
    Amplified Content Studio, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2025
  • Ah well, still the best Star Wars movie of the Disney-era, even if Andor remains the crown jewel.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 19 Apr. 2025
Adjective
  • And Giuseppe Trevisani, wonderful guy, is my favorite excuse of all.
    Domenico Starnone, New Yorker, 20 Apr. 2025
  • There’s the potential to still reach 94 points, which might not quite have the same sheen to it as the 99 points achieved by Liverpool’s last title-winning side in 2019-20 but should still be recognised as a wonderful achievement.
    Gregg Evans, New York Times, 20 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prize. Accessed 5 May. 2025.

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