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
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.
It is the largest seizure of illegal exotic invertebrates, authorities said.
From BBC • Jun. 5, 2026
Al-Hashimi became a polyglot — speaking English, Farsi and Armenian — in part to curb the effects of a seizure disorder on her temporal lobe, which is crucial for language comprehension.
From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 3, 2026
Travolta lost his teenage son, Jett, to complications from a seizure in 2009, and his wife, Kelly Preston, to breast cancer in 2020.
From Salon • Jun. 2, 2026
President Emmanuel Macron posted a video of the seizure, which showed commandos rappelling from a helicopter onto the ship.
From Barron's • Jun. 1, 2026
Yep, whenever I had a seizure, I was damaging my damage.
From "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" by Sherman Alexie
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.
