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.
The first phase of the truce saw the release of the last hostages seized in October 2023, in exchange for Palestinians detained by Israel.
From Barron's • May 20, 2026
Officials seized several pistols, rifles, shotguns, ammunition, tactical gear, as well as electronics, he said.
From Los Angeles Times • May 20, 2026
Some victims are unknowingly driving without insurance, meaning they could be prosecuted, fined or have their car seized, the FCA said.
From BBC • May 19, 2026
The U.S. seized other vessels, the Majestic X and Tifani, in the Indian Ocean in April.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 19, 2026
“They’ve seized our house and most of our assets, from what I can tell. Our joint accounts are frozen at the moment.”
From "South of Somewhere" by Kalena Miller
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.
