noun
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the act or an instance of seizing or the state of being seized
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pathol a sudden manifestation or recurrence of a disease, such as an epileptic convulsion
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A sudden episode of transient neurologic symptoms such as involuntary muscle movements, sensory disturbances and altered consciousness. A seizure is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, which is often diagnosed on an electroencephalogram.
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See also epilepsy
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Etymology
Origin of seizure
Explanation
A seizure is the act of taking by legal process or force, such as the seizure of evidence found at the scene of a crime. A seizure is the act of seizing — a forceful action in which an object or person is suddenly taken over, grabbed, removed, or overwhelmed. It's not something you want to happen. Criminals may think the seizure of a wealthy person can bring them a fortune in ransom money. Another kind of seizure is the kind caused by a misfire of electrons in the brain, causing a loss of control of the body. It too is an unwanted taking over by force.
Vocabulary lists containing seizure
The Bill of Rights
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The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian
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Out of My Mind
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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:
Justice Goodwin Liu’s concurring opinion in that case urged local election administrators to be prepared to seek a court order blocking any attempted seizure.
From Slate ● Oct. 5, 2026
During the test, Linton jerked and twitched in what prosecutors described as an attempt to fake a seizure.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 2, 2026
"She hasn't had a seizure since," he said.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
Abramovich's background as an oligarch meant the government froze his assets and threatened to conduct a full seizure.
From BBC ● Sep. 30, 2026
So last week I was cooking, heating up a pot with grease in it, and all of a sudden I had a seizure and fell on the floor.
From "Our America: Life and Death on the South Side of Chicago" by LeAlan Jones
From October 2025 to the end of August, there were more than 2,400 seizures of noncompliant or fraudulent products, involving more than 130,000 vials, according to the CBP.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 6, 2026
Not long after recovering from the seizures, Ann was fit enough to hold Patrick's baby - her youngest granddaughter - and read her a story from the hospital bed.
From BBC ● Oct. 1, 2026
While Linton has not been diagnosed with an underlying seizure disorder, such as epilepsy, defense attorney Jovan Blacknell said Linton suffered intermittent seizures during her life, including at the time of the wreck.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
She suffered repeated seizures, was diagnosed with a potentially fatal blood clot, and experienced wild swings in blood pressure.
From Slate ● Oct. 1, 2026
He was warned that unless treated, he could experience total kidney failure, seizures, and even dementia.
From "Endgame" by Frank Brady
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.
