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.
-
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.
Seized vessels could be brought to Dubai or Eilat, Israel, further cementing regional alliances.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 15, 2026
Cheap and cheesy nonfiction fills time: “90 Day Fiance,” “Prison Brides,” “Married at First Sight,” “Contraband: Seized at the Border.”
From Seattle Times • Feb. 29, 2024
Seized animals are rarely returned to the wild, and many die in transit, Shepherd says.
From National Geographic • Oct. 24, 2023
Save Our Seized Dogs supports owners whose dogs have been seized under the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, and through breed-specific legislation which bans the ownership of four types of dog in the UK.
From BBC • Dec. 24, 2021
Seized with an immediate desire to reveal himself, Harry pulled off the Cloak with a flourish.
From "Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince" by J.K. Rowling
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.
