seize

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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 Then, this past winter, the team signed Max Kepler as a potential everyday player, but he's been unable to seize that role. Peter Chawaga, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 June 2025 The decision was made after Netanyahu and Katz cited new information indicating that Hamas was seizing aid intended for civilians in northern Gaza. Reuters, NBC news, 26 June 2025 Her mother, Keily Chinchilla, says Bustillo has often been forced to sleep on the floor, her spine seizing from inflammation, her left arm and half her face numb. Dhruv Mehrotra, Wired News, 25 June 2025 By enhancing their resilience, end users can not only mitigate risks but also seize opportunities for growth and innovation in an ever-changing world. Oliver Wyman, Forbes.com, 25 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for seize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seize
Verb
  • If not, the Kings might come to understand why Kerr couldn’t always trust Kuminga in key situations.
    Jason Anderson July 5, Sacbee.com, 5 July 2025
  • Some things are beyond the capacity of a child to understand, while others resonate most profoundly out of the mouths of babes.
    Peter Debruge, Variety, 5 July 2025
Verb
  • The men were arrested after a shooting in June on eastbound I-70 that killed 20-year-old Eduardo Alexander Alvarado Urrea of Silver Spring, state police said in a Monday news release.
    Racquel Bazos, Baltimore Sun, 1 July 2025
  • Fire Marshals arrested Lisen Pan, 42, manger of Everbright Trading Co. on Flushing Ave.
    Roni Jacobson, New York Daily News, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • Now, folks heading to Shenandoah National Park or beyond can grab some gas, hit the jerky wall, nab a Dr Pepper Icee, load up on fudge, use the famously clean bathrooms, and stock up on Buc-ee’s merch before heading back out on the road.
    Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 30 June 2025
  • My father seemed to crumple a little, shuddering, grabbing the edge of his desk to steady himself.
    Ottessa Moshfegh, New Yorker, 30 June 2025
Verb
  • The agents ultimately released him, but confiscated his driver’s license.
    Steven Greenhut, Oc Register, 20 June 2025
  • Most importantly, Johnson must support police Superintendent Larry Snelling’s request for the authority to call a snap curfew in emergencies and direct city agencies to confiscate vehicles and other personal property from those who engage in disruptive behavior.
    Paul Vallas, Chicago Tribune, 11 June 2025
Verb
  • Rest assured, no one knew this kind of flood was coming.
    Rebecca Schneid, Time, 7 July 2025
  • Here’s everything to know about the real-life loves of the New Girl cast.
    Julie Tremaine, People.com, 6 July 2025
Verb
  • What To Know The Americans, who local outlet Yonhap, reported ranged in age from their 20s to 50s, were apprehended on Friday from a restricted area on Ganghwa Island near the North Korean border.
    Mandy Taheri, MSNBC Newsweek, 29 June 2025
  • He was apprehended by responding police officers a short time later.
    Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • The fireball that caught the attention of people across the southeastern United States is presumed to be from a meteor fragmenting in the sky, according to meteorologists and other experts.
    Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 28 June 2025
  • That unique twist is exactly what caught the attention of Quinn Cosgrove, bass player for local Kansas band The Whips.
    Ramal Nasim, Kansas City Star, 28 June 2025
Verb
  • This attack works through thousands of dangerous websites, stealing credit card or PayPal details as soon as they’re entered.
    Zak Doffman, Forbes.com, 2 July 2025
  • In a near-future Kolkata, ravaged by climate change, one family is about to escape, until their visas are stolen.
    Literary Hub July 1, Literary Hub, 1 July 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Seize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seize. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.

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