seize

verb

ˈsēz How to pronounce seize (audio)
Definition of seizenext
1
as in to understand
to have a clear idea of a critic with a sharp intellect that is able to seize the most subtle nuances of a work of art

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to arrest
to take or keep under one's control by authority of law seized the leaders of one of the city's major drug rings

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to grab
to take physical control or possession of (something) suddenly or forcibly seized the escaping balloon just before it got out of reach

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to confiscate
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right Richard III seized the English throne from his brother Edward in 1483

Synonyms & Similar Words

Synonym Chooser

How is the word seize different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of seize are clutch, grab, grasp, snatch, and take. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," 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

When might clutch be a better fit than seize?

While the synonyms clutch and seize are close in meaning, clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

How are the words grab and snatch related as synonyms of seize?

Grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

When is it sensible to use grasp instead of seize?

The words grasp and seize are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

How do snatch and seize relate to one another?

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

snatched a doughnut and ran

When could take be used to replace seize?

The words take and seize can be used in similar contexts, but take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of seize Frieze Week in London has stopped being just about Frieze London and Frieze Masters as smaller fairs are seizing the opportunity for more intimate fair models. — Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Civil war broke out in 2014 after the Houthis seized Sanaa, forcing the government to flee to the southern city of Aden. — Olivia-Anne Cleary, Time, 15 Oct. 2026 Feds seize 'Squad' member's phone in raid linked to immigration fraud probe. — FOXNews.com, 15 Oct. 2026 Sid is smart enough to sniff this out, and the show seizes the opportunity to raise the romantic stakes through an adorably British expression of mutual libidinousness. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for seize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seize
  1. understand
  2. arrest
  3. grab
  4. confiscate
  5. know
  6. apprehend
  7. catch
  8. steal
Verb
  • But the really impactful part is understanding the function and developing it into a tool.
    — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The committee isn’t fully aware of the muddy bog in which Taverner is currently sinking, but Lamb is starting to understand the shape of it.
    — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of understand
Verb
  • Now, in yet another blow to national self-esteem, the ex-head of Germany’s foreign intelligence agency, the BND, has been arrested on charges of exploiting state secrets.
    — The Week UK, TheWeek, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Roseville police have arrested a 15-year-old boy in connection with the fatal stabbing of a homeless woman downtown earlier this week, authorities said.
    — Daniel Hunt, Sacbee.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of arrest
Verb
  • Video on social media showed distressed shopkeepers begging young men to stop stealing their inventory—and those young men pushing them aside to grab shoes and food from their shelves.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • One 10-year-old girl, crying and trying to hug her father, was allegedly grabbed by the neck by law enforcement, according to the lawsuit.
    — Sarah Cutler, Idaho Statesman, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of grab
Verb
  • Police confiscated the robot and two cell phones belonging to the suspects.
    — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The robot and the two young men's mobile phones were confiscated.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of confiscate
Verb
  • Depending on the machine and settings, that material ends up in a purge tower built alongside the print, or in a collection of little plastic doll's-house-looking spaghetti balls, affectionately known as printer poop.
    — New Atlas, New Atlas, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Cringing can therefore manifest as the abashment of not knowing (yet; possibly ever) how to read something.
    — Eugenie Brinkema, ARTnews.com, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of know
Verb
  • Two detainees held at Deportation Depot were released by mistake over the weekend and later apprehended and returned to the detention facility, officials have confirmed.
    — Ana Goñi-Lessan, Miami Herald, 14 Oct. 2026
  • The unidentified suspect fled on a scooter as the officers attempted to apprehend him, police said.
    — Carlos E. Castañeda, CBS News, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of apprehend
Verb
  • Scientists have previously speculated that a GRB would vaporize anything caught in its death rays up to 200 light-years from the source.
    — Robin George Andrews, Scientific American, 20 Oct. 2026
  • On this trip, she’s been busy in the studio with Camila Cabello, but tonight she’s headed to SoFi Stadium to catch Mars’ latest tour.
    — Mikael Wood, Los Angeles Times, 19 Oct. 2026
Definition of catch
Verb
  • Video on social media showed distressed shopkeepers begging young men to stop stealing their inventory—and those young men pushing them aside to grab shoes and food from their shelves.
    — Jim Edwards, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2026
  • The response comes as the French government increases scrutiny of online marketplaces following reports that goods stolen during Saturday’s unrest were being offered for sale online.
    — Sadie Andrew, CNN Money, 20 Oct. 2026
Definition of steal

Browse Nearby Words

seiners
seize
seized
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Cite this Entry

“Seize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seize. Accessed 21 Oct. 2026.

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