PRIZE Synonyms: 299 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

Q: 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

prize 1 of 4

noun

ˈprīz

Definition of prize

as in treasure

someone or something unusually desirable in the view of most of her friends, her current boyfriend is certainly no prize

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

lemon
loser

as in award

something given in recognition of achievement the Pritzker Architecture Prize is the world's most prestigious honor in the field of architecture

Synonyms & Similar Words

prize

2 of 4

adjective

as in excellent

of the very best kind delighted to be guests at one of her prize dinner parties

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

prize

3 of 4

verb (1)

as in to pry

to draw out by force or with effort prizing the stubborn nails out of the board

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

join
connect

prize

4 of 4

verb (2)

as in to treasure

to hold dear veterinarians know that pets are highly prized by their owners

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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

Along the way, the audience can expect tons of humiliation, terrible second prizes, and the guarantee that Robertson will turn at least one poor soul's wrong turn into several minutes of unhinged public destruction. — Rebecca Rosman, NPR, 31 Aug. 2026 The largest prize is ownership through access to wealth creation. — Michael Faulkender, Baltimore Sun, 31 Aug. 2026

Verb

The army Mladic created to fight in Bosnia was a model of ruthlessness, daring and brutality in the Serb warrior tradition, once prized in the life-or-death partisan struggle against the Nazi occupation of Yugoslavia in World War Two. — Ivana Sekularac, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026 Olive oil often has a wide range of strong grassy flavors, whereas avocado oil is prized for being mild. — Bridget Shirvell, Martha Stewart, 25 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for prize

Recent Examples of Synonyms for prize

Noun

Fifty-something years later, Rush remains a North American treasure.

— Brian McCollum, Freep.com, 27 Aug. 2026
The steward of this American treasure since the patriarch died in 2013, Jeanie Buss dug in her Christian Louboutin heels in a fight to keep her family in the hierarchy of the purple and gold.

— Marcus Thompson II, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026

Definition of treasure

Verb

One of the resources pulled was the Pedestrian and Bicycle Crash Analysis Tool, which was designed to capture information on cars, bicycles, and pedestrians, according to the outlet.

— Ingrid Vasquez, PEOPLE, 3 Sep. 2026
Moreno had previously put the club up for sale in August 2022 before pulling the team off the market five months later.

— Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of pull

Verb

The public's mounting disdain for the tech sector could prove especially challenging for Anthropic and OpenAI, both valued at nearly $1 trillion and gearing up for potentially historic IPOs.

— Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 29 Aug. 2026
Project Rise Love Productions founders Richard McKerrow and Anna Beattie built a culture that valued creative independence, meaning relations with Sky were not always straightforward.

— Jake Kanter, Deadline, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of value

Noun

International Television Production Australia ultimately teamed up for this gem, the standout installment of the new Untold season.

— Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 1 Sep. 2026
Especially memorable designs include its Naga choker, wherein each gem represents ornaments worn by a different native tribe, and its Naga orchid necklace, inspired by the nearly 400 species of the flowering plant found in the region.

— Sohini Dey, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Sep. 2026

Definition of gem

Noun

KPop Demon Hunter’s latest accolade is a reminder that the canon, too, remains far from fixed.

— Sophia Nguyen, The Atlantic, 28 Aug. 2026
All these accolades and swift-but-eventful years later, the persona of the guy who became a wonder of the world remains intact and part of his unique appeal.

— Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 28 Aug. 2026

Definition of accolade

Adjective

But there may be little anyone–government or corporate–can do to persuade people to have children amid greater economic uncertainty.

— Angelica Ang, Fortune, 30 Aug. 2026
From travel dresses to a lightweight sweater, here are 14 items from Quince’s Workwear Edit that would look great on you on your next flight, starting at $20.

— Jasmine Gomez, Travel + Leisure, 30 Aug. 2026

Definition of great

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privy

prize

prized

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Style

“Prize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/prize. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of prize

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