Showing results for "seized"

• past participle of seize.
• past tense form of seize.

seized

American  

[seezd] / sizd /

adjective

1. taken hold, possession, or control of, as by force or legal authority; confiscated, captured, or appropriated.

   Police say the seized property includes knives, computer equipment, a balaclava, and military clothing.

   Settlers were observed planting olive trees on illegally seized land.

2. (of an opportunity) taken advantage of promptly.

   Everything that Mom and I had accomplished was rooted firmly in the soil of hard work and seized opportunities.

3. (of moving parts) locked or jammed, as from excessive friction (often followed byup ).

   I gladly pay top dollar for lubricants and fluids, because I know it's far more expensive to have to rebuild a seized engine!

4. having ceased to function; having come to a halt (often followed byup ).

   Businesses need to access credit lines to function, but now the credit market is totally seized up.

5. fully understood; mentally grasped.

   People who need cognitive closure will absorb a statement early in the process of acquiring knowledge, "freeze" on that seized idea, and resist further information.

6. (of melted chocolate) grainy and clumpy from overheating or from contact with a small amount of moisture.

   To reverse the reaction, add more liquid, but just enough to dissolve most of the sugar and cocoa particles in the seized chocolate clumps.

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verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of seize.

Other Word Forms

• unseized
  adjective

Etymology

Origin of seized

seize ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

seized

Hochman’s motion referred to the officers’ remarks as “locker room talk” — a characterization that was seized on by Flores’ legal team.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 19, 2026

He said he finally received a court letter on 16 July saying he owed £458 and risked having his possessions seized by bailiffs or even ending up in prison if he did not pay.

From BBC ● Aug. 19, 2026

Brent crude futures climbed to roughly $91 a barrel Monday after Iranian media said an oil tanker had been seized in the Strait of Hormuz.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 17, 2026

Jack had reached for a vol-au-vent, swallowed it whole in one bite, rinsed it down with a glass of champagne and seized center stage all in one action.

From Slate ● Aug. 15, 2026

When the soldiers leave the room, he rushes past the pile of seized materials, grabs the diary, and hurries to the bathroom.

From "At Last She Stood" by Erin Entrada Kelly

Related Words

• captured