seize on/upon

phrasal verb

seized on/upon; seizing on/upon; seizes on/upon

: to take or use (something, such as a chance or opportunity) in a quick and eager way

His critics have seized on the scandal to call for his resignation.

She seized on the opportunity to tell her side of the story.

Examples of seize on/upon in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

But the morning after is the clincher, revealing that everything else was prelude to the all-important question of how to get outside their own heads and seize on the potential of a genuine human connection. —Peter Debruge, Variety, 16 July 2025

Mexico's ruling party, Morena, overhauled the court system late last year, fueling protests and criticism that the reform is an attempt by those in power to seize on their political popularity to gain control of the branch of government until now out of their reach. —Arkansas Online, 2 June 2025

Democrats have sought to seize on the political division and are pushing a petition that would force a binding floor vote. —Miriam Waldvogel, The Hill, 21 July 2025

While Trump did not seize on the Sumy attack as an opening to ramp up diplomatic pressure on Russia, other corners of his administration and some of his political allies were more outspoken in the aftermath. —Shannon K. Kingston, ABC News, 15 Apr. 2025