What context can I use each word in?
Learn when and how to use these words with these examples!
capture
Example
The police were able to capture the thief after a long chase. [capture: verb]
Example
He managed to capture the beauty of the sunset in his photograph. [capture: verb]
catch
Example
She caught the ball with one hand and made an impressive catch. [catch: verb]
Example
He went fishing and caught a big fish for dinner. [caught: past tense]
Good things to know
Which word is more common?
Catch is more commonly used than capture in everyday language. Catch is versatile and covers a wide range of contexts, while capture is less common and tends to be used in more specific or formal situations.
What’s the difference in the tone of formality between capture and catch?
While capture is generally considered more formal, catch is more commonly used in informal and everyday language.