Arrests vs Capture

When to use each in English, with meaning, register, and examples.

Arrests

Top 2,000 (common)

Capture

Top 1,000 (very common) B2 verb

Most common: Capture

	Arrests	Capture
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 //əˈrɛsts// 🇺🇸 //əˈrɛsts//	🇬🇧 /["/ˈkæptʃə(r)/","/ˈkæptʃəz/","/ˈkæptʃəd/","/ˈkæptʃərɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈkæptʃər/","/ˈkæptʃərz/","/ˈkæptʃərd/","/ˈkæptʃərɪŋ/"]/
Meaning	When police take someone to jail.	To take something or someone and hold them.
Example	The police made several arrests during the protest.	The photographer aimed to capture the beauty of the sunset.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 2,000 (common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	-	B2
Part of speech		verb
Collocations	make arrests, report arrests, increase in arrests, arrests made, frequent arrests	accurately, perfectly, beautifully, try to, be able to, manage to
Antonyms	release, liberation	release, free, let go
Common mistakes	Confusing with 'detain'; arrest involves formal charges., Using 'arrest' without an object; e.g., 'He was arrested' is correct., Assuming 'arrests' can only happen with violent crimes; it can happen for various offenses.	'Capture' used without an object (e.g., saying 'I will capture.'), 'Capture' confused with 'caught' in past tense., 'Capture' improperly used in place of 'seize' which has a different nuance.
Usage notes	Used mostly in legal contexts. Avoid in casual conversations or when discussing unrelated topics.	Use 'capture' when you want to express taking control of something, either physically or metaphorically. It's appropriate in both formal and informal contexts, but avoid using it in situations that imply violence.

See it in real clips

The Pitt › S1 E1

If he arrests again, we might not get him back.

Arrests

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

saw a rich land ripe for the capture.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

He's then going to close with and kill or capture that German.

House Of Dragons › S1 E1

saw a rich land ripe for the capture.

Band Of Brothers › S1 E1

He's then going to close with and kill or capture that German.

Capture

Frequently asked questions: Arrests vs Capture

What's the difference between Arrests and Capture?

Arrests: When police take someone to jail. Capture: To take something or someone and hold them.

Which is more common: Arrests and Capture?

Capture is the most common in everyday English.

Can you show an example of each?

Arrests: The police made several arrests during the protest. Capture: The photographer aimed to capture the beauty of the sunset.

Can I use Arrests and Capture interchangeably?

Not always. Arrests and Capture are related and overlap in some contexts, but they differ in register, how common they are, and usage, so swapping one for another can change the meaning or tone. Check the differences above before substituting.