seize

verb

ˈsēz How to pronounce seize (audio)
seized; seizing
Synonyms of seize

transitive verb

1
a
usually seise
ˈsēz How to pronounce seize (audio)
: to vest ownership of a freehold estate in
b
often seise : to put in possession of something
the biographer will be seized of all pertinent papers
2
a
: to take possession of : confiscate
b
: to take possession of by legal process
3
a
: to possess or take by force : capture
b
: to take prisoner : arrest
4
a
: to take hold of : clutch
b
: to possess oneself of : grasp
c
: to understand fully and distinctly : apprehend
5
a
: to attack or overwhelm physically : afflict
seized with chest pains
b
: to possess (someone's thoughts, mind, etc.) completely or overwhelmingly
… seized the popular imagination …—Anna E. Altmann
6
: to bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff (such as yarn, marline, or fine wire)

intransitive verb

1
: to take or lay hold suddenly or forcibly
2
a
: to cohere to a relatively moving part through excessive pressure, temperature, or friction
—used especially of machine parts (such as bearings, brakes, or pistons)
b
: to fail to operate due to the seizing of a part
—used of an engine
seizer noun

Synonyms of seize

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Choose the Right Synonym for seize

take, seize, grasp, clutch, snatch, grab mean to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand.

take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible.

seized the suspect

grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

Examples of seize in a Sentence

The bank seized their property. The army has seized control of the city. A rebel group attempted to seize power. He suddenly seized the lead in the final lap of the race. He seized her by the arm. He tried to seize the gun from him. She was seized by kidnappers and carried off to a hidden location. He seized the chance to present his ideas to his boss. Seizing the moment, she introduced herself to the famous film director.
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Inside the plane, Hammami seized advantage of an airline-safety rule enacted after September 11, 2001, which mandated that pilots must be able to lock the cockpit from the inside to prevent hijackings or other external threats to the plane. — Sudarsan Raghavan, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026 The Lebanese army said on Monday that troops seized another shipment of explosives weighing 200 kilograms (440 pounds) as it was being smuggled from Syria into the northeastern Lebanese border town of al-Qasr. — ABC News, 12 Oct. 2026 No one knows exactly how many creatures are being smuggled out, but one of the current challenges is what to do with the ones that are seized by law enforcement. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 Universities in Texas are seizing and scrubbing syllabi, and some of the country’s most storied institutions of higher learning have been cowed into paying protection money. — Ta-Nehisi Coates, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for seize

Word History

Etymology

Middle English saisen, from Anglo-French seisir, from Medieval Latin sacire, of Germanic origin; perhaps akin to Old High German sezzen to set — more at set

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at transitive sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of seize was in the 14th century

Phrases Containing seize

Rhymes for seize

See All Rhymes for seize

Browse Nearby Words

sei whale
seize
seize hold of
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Seize.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seize. Accessed 14 Oct. 2026.

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Kids Definition

seize

verb
ˈsēz How to pronounce seize (audio)
seized; seizing
1
: to take possession of by force
the wind seized the hat off my head
2
: to take prisoner : arrest
3
a
: to take hold of suddenly or with force : clutch
b
: to understand fully and clearly : comprehend
seize an idea quickly
4
: to attack or overwhelm suddenly (as with fever)
seizer noun

Legal Definition

seize

transitive verb
seized; seizing
1
or seise : to put in possession of property or vest with the right of possession or succession
stand seized of land
2
: to take possession or custody of (property) especially by lawful authority
seize drugs as evidence
the entry of a preliminary order of forfeiture authorizes the Attorney General…to seize the specific property subject to forfeiture—Federal Rules of Criminal Procedure Rule 32.2(b)(3)
can seize the goods subject to his security interest and…keep them in satisfaction of the debt—J. J. White and R. S. Summers
compare foreclose, repossess
3
: to detain (a person) in such circumstances as would lead a reasonable person to believe that he or she was not free to leave
determined that the defendant was seized when surrounded by police officers
seizable adjective
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