2 syllables: cap, tures. Stress on cap.
/ˈkæp.tʃɚz/
Say it backCaptures is the third-person singular present tense and plural noun form of capture. In most contexts it means takes possession of or records something, often implying a decisive act or seizure, or figuratively “captures” attention or imagination. The word blends a crisp /ˈkæp.tʃɚz/ sound with a plural -s ending, and commonly appears in journalism, law, and media contexts.
"The photographer captures birds in flight with precision and patience."
"The software updates captures user data for analytics."
"The documentary captures the resilience of the community under pressure."
Say CAP-tures with primary stress on CAP. Use /ˈkæp.tʃɚz/ in US, where the final -es is voiced as /z/ after a voiced consonant; in careful speech you may hear /ˈkæp.t͡ʃɚz/ with the ch as a single affricate. The second syllable reduces to a rhotacized schwa /ɚ/. In UK English, /ˈkæp.tʃəz/ with a lighter final /əz/ and non-rhotic r, so it sounds like CAP-tuhz without the rhotic r.
Common errors: (1) misplacing stress, saying cap-TURES; (2) pronouncing the word as CAP-churs with a strong, separate /tʃ/ chunk; (3) not voice final -s, using /s/ instead of /z/. Correct by keeping /ˈkæp.tʃɚz/ in one smooth flow, ensure the final z voice, and release the /tʃ/ cluster cleanly into the vowel of the second syllable.
US: /ˈkæp.tʃɚz/ with rhotic /ɚ/ and final /z/. UK: /ˈkæp.tʃəz/ with non-rhotic r, schwa in second syllable, final /z/ or light /s/; AU: /ˈkæp.tʃəz/ similar to UK but with broader vowel quality and a slightly more pronounced final vowel. Note rhotic differences affect the second syllable vowel quality and the perceived
Yes—connect the onset /k/ with the following /æ/ clearly, avoiding a split vowel sound; ensure the /tʃ/ is a single affricate and not a separate /t/ plus /ʃ/; and maintain a voiced final /z/—especially in fluent speech where it can sound like /s/ if under-voiced. Visualize the blend CAP + tʃ as a tight unit, then let the /z/ glide naturally.
In natural speech, keep a strong initial stress: CAP-tures, then quick, light secondary beat on the second syllable. Rhythm often follows sentence tempo; in fast speech the /ɚ/ reduces toward a quick, neutral vowel and the /z/ can merge with following words sounding like /z/ or disappear slightly in casual connected speech.
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Capture comes from the Old North French capter, from Late Latin captāre, from capere ‘to take, seize’. The term entered English in the 14th century, originally in legal and military domains to denote seizure or taking by force. Over time, capture broadened to mean any act of taking possession or recording information, and later extended to figurative uses like capturing an image, feeling, or moment. The verb form arrived early in Middle English and adapted to various tenses; the noun use — a thing that has been captured or a recording — is attested from the 15th century. The plural form captures emerged as the subject or object of sentences in modern usage, often indicating multiple instances or items that have been captured. In contemporary usage, captures frequently appear in media, technology, law enforcement, sports reporting, and artistic critiques, where the act of capturing is central to the narrative or function. The word carries a strong sense of action, precision, and documentation, with roots in the Latin root capere meaning “to take” and its surrounding cognates in romance languages.
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💡 These words have similar meanings to "captures" and can often be used interchangeably.
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Words that rhyme with "captures"
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