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
More than 215,000 other tickets sold in the United States also won prizes ranging from $10 to $100,000 in the drawing, the lottery said. Don Sweeney, Sacbee.com, 8 Sep. 2026 For the second time ever, someone has solved one of the seven Millennium Prize Problems—math’s biggest targets, each worth a $1-million prize. Joseph Howlett, Scientific American, 8 Sep. 2026
Verb
This serves as an important learning curve on the route to F1, where drivers who can easily tell their teams how a car can be refined to go faster are prized. Luke Smith, New York Times, 5 Sep. 2026 And though there’s a sense Anthropic fever has escalated in recent months (including the demand explosion around the company’s mammoth $65 billion fundraise), Anthropic shares have been the most prized for some time. Allie Garfinkle, Fortune, 3 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for prize
Noun
  • Most of the treasure’s weight comes from bars, jewelry and silver clips, with coins only making up a small part of it.
    Amarachi Orie, CNN Money, 4 Sep. 2026
  • In this exclusive excerpt, Austin discusses her decision to part with everything, and the process of combing through the home and finding the treasures Mercury left behind.
    Andy Greene, Rolling Stone, 3 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The All-America receivers entered Week 1 with the shortest BetMGM odds (+1500) among non-quarterbacks to win college football’s most prestigious individual award.
    Manny Navarro, New York Times, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The glamorous resort is set along the beach with two oceanfront pools, a private beach, and an award-winning spa.
    Megan duBois, USA Today, 5 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Lampard felt his players deserved a point after creating several excellent chances.
    Stuart James, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
  • Picturesque views of the surrounding Casco Bay are abundant, and its consistently excellent food scene has made the city a culinary hot spot for the ages.
    Lori Keong, Architectural Digest, 7 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Jackson’s availability was curbed by red cards at Chelsea — in Bruges, a barge and shirt pull with defender Han-Beom Lee suggested those flickers of fury and confrontation still burn.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 9 Sep. 2026
  • When his brother pleads for help, Tariq is pulled back into the London criminal underworld and the dangerous orbit of their crime boss mother.
    Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 9 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • Most of us who have spent careers as osteopathic physicians in a largely allopathic American health care system have learned to value and embrace these unique aspects.
    Torie Bosch, STAT, 5 Sep. 2026
  • Equally, Pattinson’s ability to jump seamlessly between offbeat indies and hundred-million-dollar tentpoles is a skill the modern Academy tends to value.
    Nate Jones, Vulture, 5 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • The Spanish-style gem, designed by famed architect Wallace Neff, hosts seven bedrooms and 12 bathrooms.
    India Roby, Architectural Digest, 9 Sep. 2026
  • But even at the time, one NFC executive, who spoke on the condition of anonymity to speak openly about another team’s roster, pinpointed Thomas as a hidden gem.
    Jourdan Rodrigue, New York Times, 8 Sep. 2026
Noun
  • OutKick Dropkick asked Jordan in a recent interview what the accolades meant to her.
    Ryan Gaydos OutKick, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2026
  • His accolades also include a Grammy nomination for Kx5, his collaboration with producer deadmau5.
    Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 2 Sep. 2026
Adjective
  • Countries with far smaller digital ecosystems, like Cambodia and Laos, have even greater struggles to attract and retain AI talent.
    Brian Wong, Fortune, 6 Sep. 2026
  • The tropical cyclone reached Category 5, defined by sustained winds of 157 mph or greater, overnight Friday before losing some of its steam and settling into Category 4’s limits of sustained winds of 130 to 156 mph by Saturday.
    Dennis Romero, NBC news, 6 Sep. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Prize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prize. Accessed 11 Sep. 2026.

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