seized
Americanadjective
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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.
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(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.
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(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!
-
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.
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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.
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(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.
verb
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of seized
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.
Fiji grew closer to China under former prime minister Frank Bainimarama, who seized power in a coup in 2006.
From Barron's • Jul. 6, 2026
Police in Northern Ireland seized more than 700,000 counterfeit and unlicensed medicines in 2023, including Botox products.
From BBC • Jul. 5, 2026
He tried to repeat the trick in tankers, and flopped as the world economy seized up in 2008.
From The Wall Street Journal • Jul. 2, 2026
Afghan migrants have reported multiple similar incidents since 2021, when the Taliban seized power in Kabul, according to Turkey-based activist Zakira Hikmat.
From BBC • Jul. 1, 2026
Viju and Ajay seized the chance and bolted, and Neel couldn’t blame them.
From "Tiger Boy" by Mitali Perkins
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.
