Capture means to catch and hold something or someone, often after effort or pursuit. When you capture a butterfly in a net, you've caught it so it can't fly away. Police officers work to capture criminals who've broken the law. In the game of capture the flag, teams try to capture their opponents' flag and bring it back to their own territory.

The word also describes seizing control of something important. During wartime, armies try to capture strategic locations like bridges or cities. In chess, you capture your opponent's pieces by moving onto their squares and removing them from the board.

Beyond physical catching, capture means successfully recording or preserving something. A photograph captures a moment in time: your fifth birthday party, your sister's graduation, or a beautiful sunset. An artist might capture the feeling of a spring morning in a painting. A writer captures the excitement of a baseball game in vivid descriptions that make readers feel like they're there.

When something captures your attention or imagination, it grabs and holds your interest so completely that you can't look away. A thrilling book captures your imagination. A magic trick captures everyone's attention. In these cases, you're not literally caught, but you're held just as firmly by curiosity or wonder.