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 Plus, regulators seized vapes at four retail locations that didn't comply with their initial removal orders, Bacon said. Hope Karnopp, jsonline.com, 10 Oct. 2025 Congress has heard these complaints and introduced reforms to correct for this anticompetitive behavior, but employers can seize this authority now and set no middleman contracts between company and drug manufacturer. Bobby Jindal, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Oct. 2025 Advertisement Second, following Hamas's defeat, the IDF and intelligence agencies achieved impressive military accomplishments, including the blow dealt to Hamas, seizing the opportunity to destroy most of Syria's military capabilities—paving the way for the blow dealt to Iran. Ehud Barak, Time, 10 Oct. 2025 Checkmate, funded by Adrian Chase/Vigilante’s (Freddie Stroma) seized blood money, is officially formed. Tony Maglio, HollywoodReporter, 10 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for seize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seize
Verb
  • Here, settler colonialism is understood as a form of environmental injustice, where pollution and degraded landscapes diminish Indigenous quality of life and ability to be in right relationship with the environment.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025
  • First, understand what the ruling means.
    Michael Butler, Miami Herald, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Bilodeau was arrested Tuesday and arraigned in a Nassau County court Wednesday morning.
    Lauren del Valle, CNN Money, 16 Oct. 2025
  • One particularly aggressive military style raid on an apartment building in south Chicago saw dozens arrested and children separated from their parents.
    Connor Greene, Time, 15 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • In grabbing McNeeley in the same class as Knueppel, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte wanted to infuse its roster with youthful players boasting an old school mentality.
    Roderick Boone, Charlotte Observer, 13 Oct. 2025
  • If her vibe is all about being cute yet comfy, grab the matching shorts for extra brownie points.
    Christa Joanna Lee, Glamour, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Retailers who break the order could face a $500 fine per day if the products are still offered for sale, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture will have the authority to confiscate any of the products.
    Ashley J. DiMella, FOXNews.com, 9 Oct. 2025
  • In his work recovering brands that hold emotional and nostalgic value for Cubans — many of which were created by businesses confiscated by the Cuban regime after 1959 — Haber has just launched Guayabita del Pinar in Miami.
    Sarah Moreno, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Both knew each other from their work for 100 Black Men of America, where Gatlin had been an executive before joining the Foundation.
    Michelle Marchante, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Deborah McGregor, an Anishinaabe scholar from Whitefish River First Nation, defines and discusses the concept of Traditional Ecological Knowledge (TEK), sometimes also known as Indigenous Ecological Knowledge or Indigenous Ecological Wisdom.
    JSTOR Daily, JSTOR Daily, 11 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • The Torrance Police Department apprehended the suspect in the case and identified the individual as a former student at the school.
    Chris Spargo, PEOPLE, 15 Oct. 2025
  • They were apprehended after a foot pursuit led police into Over-the-Rhine.
    David Ferrara, Cincinnati Enquirer, 14 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • On Monday, of course, the problem wasn’t Durbin getting caught stealing.
    Andy McCullough, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2025
  • One that frequently catches my attention is meaning, or purpose.
    Amy Lindgren, Twin Cities, 13 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • Baltasar Rodriguez had stolen the ball from an Atlanta defender and crossed the ball to Messi.
    Michelle Kaufman, Miami Herald, 12 Oct. 2025
  • Look no further than Saturday’s Game 5, when both the Cubs and Brewers used an opener followed by a bulk reliever, and rookie Misiorowski stole the show with four strong innings to help the Brewers advance.
    Chad Jennings, New York Times, 12 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Seize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seize. Accessed 16 Oct. 2025.

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