seize up
verb
seized up; seizing up; seizes up
: to stop working because the moving parts can no longer move
The engine/brakes suddenly seized up.
—sometimes used figurativelyHer brain seized up when she tried to answer the question.
Examples of seize up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The democratic processes that stood our nation in good stead over two centuries have seized up.
—
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
Germany’s chemical industry warned shockwaves from the Iran war are beginning to ricochet through Europe’s largest economy, with a number of companies dialing down output as supply chains seize up and energy costs surge.
—William Wilkes, Bloomberg, 13 Mar. 2026
Leichman is excited to see what the right-hander can do when his back is not seizing up and his shoulder’s not barking.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2026
At that point, the federal government has the right to seize up to 15% of borrowers’ after-tax wages — as well as a portion of their Social Security income and entire tax refunds, where applicable — to repay the debt.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
In an economy, women and people of color have historically acted as that hedge, providing the inelastic demand for care, food, and community services that keeps an economy moving when financial markets seize up.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
His last Fall Classic start—for the Rangers, against the Arizona Diamondbacks, in Game 3 at Chase Field two years ago—ended after three innings when his back seized up.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2025
This technique, the researchers say, substantially reduces message traffic, decreasing the chance the network might seize up.
—Margo Anderson, IEEE Spectrum, 19 Oct. 2025
Of course, on another night, Miami’s CJ Daniels doesn’t make a one-handed touchdown grab after beating Moore with a double move and Shuler seizing up.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
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.
Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
Germany’s chemical industry warned shockwaves from the Iran war are beginning to ricochet through Europe’s largest economy, with a number of companies dialing down output as supply chains seize up and energy costs surge.
—William Wilkes, Bloomberg, 13 Mar. 2026
Leichman is excited to see what the right-hander can do when his back is not seizing up and his shoulder’s not barking.
—Patrick Saunders, Denver Post, 12 Feb. 2026
At that point, the federal government has the right to seize up to 15% of borrowers’ after-tax wages — as well as a portion of their Social Security income and entire tax refunds, where applicable — to repay the debt.
—Kamaron McNair, CNBC, 16 Jan. 2026
In an economy, women and people of color have historically acted as that hedge, providing the inelastic demand for care, food, and community services that keeps an economy moving when financial markets seize up.
—Katica Roy, Fortune, 14 Jan. 2026
His last Fall Classic start—for the Rangers, against the Arizona Diamondbacks, in Game 3 at Chase Field two years ago—ended after three innings when his back seized up.
—Barry M. Bloom, Sportico.com, 27 Oct. 2025
This technique, the researchers say, substantially reduces message traffic, decreasing the chance the network might seize up.
—Margo Anderson, IEEE Spectrum, 19 Oct. 2025
Of course, on another night, Miami’s CJ Daniels doesn’t make a one-handed touchdown grab after beating Moore with a double move and Shuler seizing up.
—Pete Sampson, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Seize up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seize%20up. Accessed 23 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
