Capture vs Record

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

Capture

Top 1,000 (very common) B2 verb

Record

Top 1,000 (very common) A2 noun

	Capture	Record
Pronunciation	🇬🇧 /["/ˈkæptʃə(r)/","/ˈkæptʃəz/","/ˈkæptʃəd/","/ˈkæptʃərɪŋ/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈkæptʃər/","/ˈkæptʃərz/","/ˈkæptʃərd/","/ˈkæptʃərɪŋ/"]/	🇬🇧 /["/ˈrekɔːd/"]/ 🇺🇸 /["/ˈrekərd/"]/
Meaning	To take something or someone and hold them.	To write down or save information.
Example	The photographer aimed to capture the beauty of the sunset.	I bought a new record of my favorite artist yesterday.
Register	Neutral	Neutral
How common	Top 1,000 (very common)	Top 1,000 (very common)
CEFR level	B2	A2
Part of speech	verb	noun
Collocations	accurately, perfectly, beautifully, try to, be able to, manage to	formal, official, public, keep, maintain, compile, contain something, include something, indicate something, in the record, in the records, off the record, access to the records, have a record of something, have no record of something, club, course, national, hold, establish, set, stand, fall, book, attempt, breaker, record for, record with, in record time, past, track, distinguished, have, possess, establish, demonstrate something, show something, compare with something, record among, record for, record in, long-playing, LP, gramophone, write, cut, make, company, industry, label, long-playing, LP, gramophone, write, cut, make, company, industry, label
Antonyms	release, free, let go	erase, delete
Common mistakes	'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.	Confused with 'recorded' when discussing past actions., Using 'record' incorrectly as a noun instead of a verb., Mixing up 'record' with 'recall' which has a different meaning.
Usage notes	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.	Use 'record' when talking about saving audio, video, or information. It's suitable in most contexts, but in casual speech, phrases like 'make a recording' may sound more natural.

See it in real clips

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

The Wire › S1 E1

of record deal, you know?

Record

Frequently asked questions: Capture vs Record

What's the difference between Capture and Record?

Capture: To take something or someone and hold them. Record: To write down or save information.

Which is more advanced: Capture and Record?

Capture is the highest level, at B2, on the CEFR scale.

Are Capture and Record the same CEFR level?

Capture: B2, Record: A2 on the CEFR scale.

What part of speech are Capture and Record?

Capture: verb, Record: noun.

Can you show an example of each?

Capture: The photographer aimed to capture the beauty of the sunset. Record: I bought a new record of my favorite artist yesterday.

Can I use Capture and Record interchangeably?

Not always. Capture and Record 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.