seize on

Idioms  

1. Also, seize upon.

2. Grab or take hold of suddenly, as in He seized on the bell rope and started to pull vigorously , or She seized upon every opportunity to present her side of the story . [Late 1600s]

3. Resort to some action, especially out of dire necessity, as in He seized upon any excuse, no matter how farfetched .

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Example Sentences

Yeah, they were very close for a while, but Epstein’s defining human trait was an ability to seize on his connections and leverage them for as much currency as he could.

From Slate • Feb. 4, 2026

Even before adding Echo Lake to its portfolio of 25 other acquisitions, Cal-Maine was starting to seize on the public’s increasing appetite for “specialty eggs.”

From Barron's • Dec. 11, 2025

But they still hope the U.S. president can seize on the momentum of the diplomatic victory—and draw the right lessons to revive efforts to bring Russian President Vladimir Putin back to the negotiating table.

From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 13, 2025

However, he and Hernández are now on the open market, and fans were quick to seize on the opportunity to meet the two players while they could.

From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 4, 2024

With nothing left but a soon-to-wither manioc crop, it could hardly be a strategic advantage for the combatants to seize on.

From "Endangered" by Eliot Schrefer