seizure

American  

[see-zher] / ˈsi ʒər /

noun

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

• nonseizure
  noun
• reseizure
  noun

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

But later that year, she died after suffering a fatal seizure in the middle of the night.

From BBC • May 7, 2026

A spokesperson from the office told ProPublica the seizure was at the request of the U.S. attorney’s office in Puerto Rico and was “not about any election in particular.”

From Salon • May 6, 2026

The Pasadena-based clinic is accused of fraud, according to a seizure warrant affidavit that federal prosecutors filed Monday and that a federal magistrate in Los Angeles approved.

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 28, 2026

In the days before Maduro’s seizure, Van Dyke created an account on the popular prediction marketplace Polymarket, the indictment said.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 28, 2026

And the symptoms of many toxic substances mimicked natural ailments—the nausea and diarrhea of cholera, or the seizure of a heart attack.

From "Killers of the Flower Moon" by David Grann

Related Words

• breakdown
• convulsion
• illness
• stroke