prize
1 Americannoun
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a reward for victory or superiority, as in a contest or competition.
- Synonyms:
- premium
-
something that is won in a lottery or the like.
-
anything striven for, worth striving for, or much valued.
-
something seized or captured, especially an enemy's ship and cargo captured at sea in wartime.
-
the act of taking or capturing, especially a ship at sea.
-
Archaic. a contest or match.
adjective
-
having won a prize.
a prize bull; a prize play.
-
worthy of a prize.
-
given or awarded as a prize.
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being an excellent example of something, especially something undesirable.
He makes his daughter's husband feel like a prize idiot whenever they get together.
verb (used with object)
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prizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
prized,
past participle, past
-
prizing
present participle
-
to value or esteem highly.
-
to estimate the worth or value of.
noun
noun
-
-
a reward or honour for victory or for having won a contest, competition, etc
-
( as modifier )
prize jockey
prize essay
-
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something given to the winner of any game of chance, lottery, etc
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something striven for
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any valuable property captured in time of war, esp a vessel
verb
verb
Usage
What are other ways to say prize?
To prize something is to value or esteem it highly. How is prize different from esteem, value, and appreciate? Find out on Thesaurus.com.
Synonym Usage
See reward.
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
prizesimple
-
prizessimple
-
have prizedperfect
-
has prizedperfect
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am prizingprogressive
-
are prizingprogressive
-
is prizingprogressive
-
have been prizingperfect progressive
-
has been prizingperfect progressive
Past
-
prizedsimple
-
had prizedperfect
-
was prizingprogressive
-
were prizingprogressive
-
had been prizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of prize1
First recorded in 1250–1300; in senses referring to something seized, continuing Middle English prise “something captured, a seizing, requisition,” from Old French prise “capture (of a ship), booty,” from Vulgar Latin prēsa, prēnsa (unrecorded), from Latin pre(hē)nsa, noun use of feminine past participle of pre(he)ndere “to take, grasp, seize”; in senses referring to something won, spelling variant since the late 16th century of Middle English pris(e) price
Origin of prize2
First recorded in 1325–75; Middle English prisen “to set a price, appraise,” from Middle French prisier, priser, variants of Old French preisier “to value, appraise”; see praise
Origin of prize3
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English noun prise, from Middle French prise “a hold, grasp,” from Latin pre(hē)nsa; see prize 1
Explanation
A prize is the reward or recognition a winner gets. When you win first prize in your state spelling bee, you might get a medal and a trip to the national competition in Washington, DC. Many prizes are given for hard work, athletic skill, or superior intellect, but it's also possible to win a prize from sheer good luck. The prize for a winning lottery ticket, for example, might be a million dollars. If your dog comes in first at an obedience competition, you can call her your "prize pup." And if you adore and value that dog more than anything else, you can say you prize her.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
"After last year's prize, maybe they're seeking a less controversial situation this year," the acting director of the Peace Research Institute of Oslo, Haakon Gjerlow, told AFP.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
His favourite pick would be a joint prize to Save the Children and Mykola Kuleba, a Ukrainian children's rights activist campaigning for the return of Ukrainian children illegally taken to Russia from occupied territories.
From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026
Thélyson Orélien’s ‘It Was Either That or Die’ is out of the running for France’s top book prize after allegations that he used AI to write it.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
The prize that awaits is the possibility of batteries made in the US with 100% US-sourced materials.
From BBC ● Sep. 29, 2026
While negotiations as to the venue and the prize fund continued, both players went to the mountains to train.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
Their British approach to R&B prized tightness, clarity, and buoyant precision over the loose, improvisational grit often associated with American soul.
From Salon ● Sep. 28, 2026
Hanle's remote, high-altitude location, dry air and lack of light pollution make its skies prized by astronomers.
From BBC ● Sep. 26, 2026
But meanwhile, the financial pressures are eroding a prized segment of the city’s housing stock.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026
Among novelist Mona Awad’s prized possessions is a handmade rabbit brooch with delicate hanging daggers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 17, 2026
And in the center of the room, in a small oval alcove, sat the prized piece—the amber swan.
From "Salt to the Sea" by Ruta Sepetys
It begins in vulnerability—a future cold day, redeemed by tonight’s memory—and ends in a plea that the beloved change nothing, prizing acceptance over perfection.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
The Monster survey showed recent grads are prizing job security over career growth.
From MarketWatch ● Apr. 3, 2026
If they do win this Sunday, they would be the first Venezuelan act to receive the honor in a category popular for prizing top acts like Maná, Shakira, Calle 13 and many more.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jan. 31, 2025
To her critics, Breed closed with a quote from Theodore Roosevelt prizing the person who strives in spite of setbacks rather than the naysayer who carps from the sidelines.
From Seattle Times ● Mar. 7, 2024
Another thing I had in common with crows: our habit of prizing the poorest of riches.
From "Beyond the Bright Sea" by Lauren Wolk
Moscow city officials said those who cast their votes electronically would be entered into a lottery, with prizes including subscriptions to music- and video-streaming services.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 18, 2026
Entering the evening with 25 nominations, “The Pitt” and its star Noah Wyle were favored to take home the top prizes in their categories, and they did.
From Salon ● Sep. 15, 2026
Widow's Bay, DTF St Louis, Slow Horses, The Bear and Abbott Elementary are also competing for prizes at the ceremony, which is seen as the US television industry's most prestigious event.
From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026
Other highlights from the Emmy pre-ceremonies were a posthumous award for Rob Reiner for best guest actor in a comedy for "The Bear," and seven prizes for Bad Bunny's Super Bowl halftime show.
From Barron's ● Sep. 12, 2026
He prizes me as a soldier would a good weapon; and that is all.
From "Jane Eyre" by Charlotte Brontë
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
