What does "seize" mean?
To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture.
Seize
/siːz/ verb
verb ·Very common ·Middle school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture.
- Grammar: seize is listed as verb.
- Nearest alternatives: confiscate, grab, impound, sequester.
- Useful contrasts: gifts, group projects presentation, muffing.
- Usage evidence: I seize the moment and turn it to my advantage.
How to use "seize"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "seize" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "seize" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "seize" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "seize" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "seize" is acting as verb in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "confiscate" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "seize", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Verb
- 1 To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture. transitive
- 2 capture the attention or imagination of wordnet
- 3 To take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance). transitive
- 4 affect wordnet
- 5 To take possession of (by force, law etc.). transitive
"to seize smuggled goods"
Show 16 more definitions
- 6 take into your hands deliberately wordnet
- 7 To have a sudden and powerful effect upon. transitive
"a panic seized the crowd"
- 8 take or capture by force wordnet
- 9 Alternative spelling of seise (“to vest ownership of an estate in land”). alt-of, alternative, transitive
- 10 hook by a pull on the line wordnet
- 11 To bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line. transitive
"to seize two fish-hooks back to back"
- 12 take possession of by force, as after an invasion wordnet
- 13 To fasten, fix. obsolete, transitive
- 14 take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority wordnet
- 15 To lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon). intransitive
"to seize on the neck of a horse"
- 16 seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession wordnet
- 17 To have a seizure. intransitive
"Nearing what she thought was a climax, he started seizing and fell off her. Later, realizing he was dead, she became alarmed and dragged the body to his vehicle to make it look like he had died in his truck."
- 18 To bind or lock in position immovably; see also seize up. intransitive
"Rust caused the engine to seize, never to run again."
- 19 To submit for consideration to a deliberative body. UK, intransitive
- 20 (with of) To cause (an action or matter) to be or remain before (a certain judge or court).
"This Court will remain seized of this matter."
- 21 Of chocolate: to change suddenly from a fluid to an undesirably hard and gritty texture. ambitransitive
"Chocolate seizes if a small amount of water (or watery liquid such as brandy) finds its way into the chocolate while it is melting. […] If chocolate seizes, it will look grainy and matte rather than glossy and smooth."
Example
"I seize the moment and turn it to my advantage."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "seize"?
Common synonyms include: confiscate, grab, impound, sequester, abduce, abduct.
How do you use "seize" in a sentence?
I seize the moment and turn it to my advantage.
How do you pronounce "seize"?
Pronounced /siːz/.
Etymology
Earlier seise, from Middle English seisen, sesen, saisen, from Old French seisir (“to take possession of; invest (person, court)”), from Early Medieval Latin sacīre (“to lay claim to, appropriate”) (8th century) in the phrase ad propriam sacire, from Old Low Frankish *sakjan (“to sue, bring legal action”), from Proto-Germanic *sakjaną, *sakōną (compare Old English sacian (“to strive, brawl”)), from Proto-Germanic *sakaną (compare Old Saxon sakan (“to accuse”), Old High German sahhan (“to bicker, quarrel, rebuke”), Old English sacan (“to quarrel, claim by law, accuse”). Cognate to sake and Latin sāgiō (“to perceive acutely”).