seizure

American  

[see-zher] / ˈsi ʒər /

noun

seizures plural

1. the act or an instance of seizing.

2. the state of being seized.

3. a taking possession of an item, property, or person legally or by force.

4. a sudden attack, as of epilepsy or some other disease.

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seizure British  

/ ˈsiːʒə /

noun

1. the act or an instance of seizing or the state of being seized

2. pathol a sudden manifestation or recurrence of a disease, such as an epileptic convulsion

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seizure Scientific  

/ sē′zhər /

1. A sudden episode of transient neurologic symptoms such as involuntary muscle movements, sensory disturbances and altered consciousness. A seizure is caused by abnormal electrical activity in the brain, which is often diagnosed on an electroencephalogram.

2. See also epilepsy

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• nonseizure
  noun
• reseizure
  noun

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• seizures
  plural

Etymology

Origin of seizure

First recorded in 1475–85; seize + -ure

Explanation

A seizure is the act of taking by legal process or force, such as the seizure of evidence found at the scene of a crime. A seizure is the act of seizing — a forceful action in which an object or person is suddenly taken over, grabbed, removed, or overwhelmed. It's not something you want to happen. Criminals may think the seizure of a wealthy person can bring them a fortune in ransom money. Another kind of seizure is the kind caused by a misfire of electrons in the brain, causing a loss of control of the body. It too is an unwanted taking over by force.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

seizure seizures

The clause survives as decoration: incorporated, venerated, and incapable of stopping a single seizure.

From Slate ● Jul. 28, 2026

Apollo, a Maine coon who died at 13 following a seizure a year after his arrival in 2015, had curbed the shop’s mouse problem and brought “so much love and energy.”

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 17, 2026

As Sylvie tries to sip water she has a seizure in the ambulance.

From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026

He said Russian carried out "11 assault attempts" on Friday -- when Moscow announced the seizure -- but said they "failed to achieve any success".

From Barron's ● Jul. 4, 2026

The worst part is, instead of being with her parents or in a hospital surrounded by doctors and nurses who can help her, she's having a seizure on a concrete sidewalk.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

Reported consequences include autism-like behaviors, unusual brain growth, seizures, and greater sensitivity to ordinary sounds, touch, and other sensory experiences.

From Science Daily ● Jul. 25, 2026

The trust said follow-up scans confirmed the condition had been successfully treated and her seizures had reduced significantly.

From BBC ● Jul. 23, 2026

Constitutional safeguards normally require a court order prior to searches or seizures, and seizing a child from their parent is one of the most extreme steps the government can take.

From Slate ● Jul. 7, 2026

Courts have repeatedly found that license-plate readers, like those used by Flock, don’t violate privacy rights or Fourth Amendment protections against unreasonable searches and seizures, legal experts say.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 26, 2026

It really was as if I didn't know her full story without knowing about her seizures.

From "The Sky at Our Feet" by Nadia Hashimi

Related Words

• breakdown
• convulsion
• illness
• stroke