seize
Americanverb (used with object)
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seizes,
present (3rd person singular)
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seized,
past participle, past
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seizing
present participle
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to take hold of suddenly or forcibly; grasp.
to seize a weapon.
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to grasp mentally; understand clearly and completely.
to seize an idea.
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to take possession of by force or at will.
to seize enemy ships.
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to take possession or control of as if by suddenly laying hold.
Panic seized the crowd.
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to take possession of by legal authority; confiscate.
to seize smuggled goods.
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Law. Also to put (someone) in seizin or legal possession of property (usually used in passive constructions).
She was seized of vast estates.
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to capture; take into custody.
- Antonyms:
- release
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to take advantage of promptly.
to seize an opportunity.
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Nautical. to bind or fasten together with a seizing.
verb (used without object)
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seizes,
present (3rd person singular)
-
seized,
past participle, past
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seizing
present participle
-
to grab or take hold suddenly or forcibly (usually followed by on orupon ).
to seize on a rope.
-
to resort to a method, plan, etc., in desperation (usually followed by on orupon ).
He must seize on a solution, however risky.
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to have moving parts bind and stop moving as a result of excessive pressure, temperature, or friction (usually followed byup ).
The engine seized up from cold.
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to have a seizure, as of epilepsy.
He seized for about five minutes and then lost consciousness.
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(of melted chocolate) to become grainy and clumpy from overheating or from contact with a small amount of moisture (often followed byup ).
If the butter is too cold, the frosting will seize.
verb
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to take hold of quickly; grab
she seized her hat and ran for the bus
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to grasp mentally, esp rapidly
she immediately seized his idea
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to take mental possession of
alarm seized the crowd
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to take possession of rapidly and forcibly
the thief seized the woman's purse
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to take legal possession of; take into custody
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to take by force or capture
the army seized the undefended town
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to take immediate advantage of
to seize an opportunity
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nautical to bind (two ropes together or a piece of gear to a rope) See also serve
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(of mechanical parts) to become jammed, esp because of excessive heat
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to be apprised of; conversant with
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the usual US spelling of seise
Synonym Usage
See catch.
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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seizesimple
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seizessimple
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have seizedperfect
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has seizedperfect
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am seizingprogressive
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are seizingprogressive
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is seizingprogressive
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have been seizingperfect progressive
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has been seizingperfect progressive
Past
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seizedsimple
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had seizedperfect
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was seizingprogressive
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were seizingprogressive
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had been seizingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of seize
First recorded in 1250–1300; Middle English saisen, seisen, from Old French saisir, from Medieval Latin sacīre “to place” (in phrase sacīre ad propriētam “to take as one's own, lay claim to”), from Frankish, perhaps akin to Gothic satjan “to set, put, place”; see set
Explanation
Infomercial salesmen constantly tell you to seize the opportunity to buy their product while you still can. Supplies are limited! After all, everyone will want that solar-powered puppy petter, so you'd better grab the opportunity and buy two! You can seize all kinds of things. Seize the day if you are taking advantage of the present circumstances and enjoying life to the fullest. Seize the castle, if you are a feudal lord fighting with your neighbor. Seize the inspiration if you want to tell a moving story. Seize authority if you are overthrowing a small country. Avoid, at all costs, being seized if you are under zombie attack.
Vocabulary lists containing seize
"All Summer in a Day" by Ray Bradbury
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"The People Could Fly," Vocabulary from the folk tale
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Beowulf vocabulary
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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:
"I think somebody has to just seize the thing and get it sorted," Dame Vera said.
From BBC ● Aug. 11, 2026
In his response to the motion, the officer’s attorney, Alan Jackson, accused Hochman of releasing the information in an attempt seize control of the narrative and try the case in the court of public opinion.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 10, 2026
The opening is here, and Carlson seems ready to seize the opportunity.
From Salon ● Aug. 9, 2026
"AI has thrown developing economies a lifeline, and they should seize it," Indermit Gill, chief economist of the World Bank Group, said as the organization launched its annual World Development Report.
From Barron's ● Aug. 4, 2026
Matthias dodged, wriggled and ran free, tripping a rat who was about to seize Mr. Vole.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
Alphabet’s driverless car service seizes the World Cup stage to try to humanize its technology.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026
Chevron maintained a now-coveted presence in Venezuela as Exxon and ConocoPhillips exited the country during waves of expropriations and asset seizes that started in the 2000s under then-President Hugo Chávez and continued under Maduro.
From MarketWatch ● Jan. 7, 2026
"I've been there myself when your back seizes up, and it's not a nice place to be."
From Barron's ● Nov. 23, 2025
It’s her first substantial, serious part since 2023’s underseen “Reality” and she seizes the opportunity to be talked about as something other than the internet’s most polarizing ingenue.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 11, 2025
Its arteries coated with what looks like foie gras, it seizes up one day.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Russian-Japanese relations have long been dogged by the islands seized by the Soviet Union in 1945 at the end of World War II.
From Barron's ● Aug. 14, 2026
The Ford took part in US operations in the Caribbean, where Washington's forces have carried out strikes on alleged drug-smuggling boats and seized Venezuelan leader Nicolas Maduro, before being dispatched to the Middle East.
From Barron's ● Aug. 13, 2026
A Ferrari valued at about £3.7m was among 90 vehicles seized by police during a weekend operation against antisocial driving in central London.
From BBC ● Aug. 10, 2026
Many Moroccans who joined the wave of migrants appear to have seized on a misinterpretation of the ruling.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 9, 2026
This handsome blonde son had been seized the month before while helping an American parachutist reach the North Sea.
From "The Hiding Place" by Corrie ten Boom
The main suspect was then arrested, with police seizing a firearm, judicial sash and identity cards bearing his fake judicial title, the paper said.
From BBC ● Aug. 4, 2026
After seizing control in the first-set tiebreaker, Fritz roared to a 3-0 lead with a pair of service breaks in the second.
From Barron's ● Aug. 3, 2026
True believers see Musk as a visionary capable of seizing markets long before they exist, citing Tesla’s dominance in the electric-vehicle market and SpaceX’s success in the rocket-launch business.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 23, 2026
Many developed a deep affection for the country and its artistic innovations, while seizing on business opportunities.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Within hours, the coup had floundered, and instead of seizing power, the Pazzis were themselves seized.
From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day
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.
