seizure

noun

sei·​zure ˈsē-zhər How to pronounce seizure (audio)
1
a
: the act, action, or process of seizing : the state of being seized
b
: the taking possession of person or property by legal process
2
a
: a sudden attack (as of disease)
especially : the physical manifestations (such as convulsions, sensory disturbances, or loss of consciousness) resulting from abnormal electrical discharges in the brain (as in epilepsy)
b
: an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain

Example Sentences

the seizure of power by the rebels property that is protected from seizure the seizure of evidence by the police Not all searches and seizures by the police require a warrant.
Recent Examples on the Web Footage has been released by the Iranian navy that shows the seizure of a foreign vessel in the Gulf of Oman. Timothy Nerozzi, Fox News, 28 Apr. 2023 If ingested, tulips cause intense GI upset, drooling, loss of appetite, seizures, and cardiac abnormalities. Arricca Elin Sansone, House Beautiful, 22 Apr. 2023 Stay strapped':Mike Epps responds to gun seizure at Indy airport Contact IndyStar reporter Cheryl V. Jackson at cheryl.jackson@indystar.com or 317-444-6264. Nathan Brown, The Indianapolis Star, 17 Apr. 2023 According to the Mayo Clinic, a febrile seizure is a convulsion in a child that is caused by a fever and occurs in young, healthy kids. Marisa Sullivan, Peoplemag, 11 Apr. 2023 Inside was the kiddush cup, a searing reminder of a time when any precious metals owned by Jews became a target for seizure by the Nazis. Milton Esterow, New York Times, 10 Apr. 2023 In babies who survive, the virus can cause neurodevelopmental delays and disabilities, including cerebral palsy, seizures, vision impairment, and progressive hearing loss. Edward Chen, STAT, 5 Apr. 2023 Enlarge / Domain seizure message at genesis.market. Jon Brodkin, Ars Technica, 5 Apr. 2023 Still, Krupp ruled the arrest was valid under both the Fourth Amendment and the state’s constitutional protection against unreasonable search and seizure. John R. Ellement, BostonGlobe.com, 15 May 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seizure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Time Traveler
The first known use of seizure was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near seizure

Cite this Entry

“Seizure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seizure. Accessed 4 Jun. 2023.

Kids Definition

seizure

noun
sei·​zure ˈsē-zhər How to pronounce seizure (audio)
1
: the act of seizing : the state of being seized
2
: a sudden attack (as of disease)
especially : the physical signs (as extreme twitching of muscles) of an episode of abnormal brain activity (as in epilepsy)

Medical Definition

seizure

noun
sei·​zure ˈsē-zhər How to pronounce seizure (audio)
1
: a sudden attack (as of disease)
especially : the physical manifestations (as convulsions, sensory disturbances, or loss of consciousness) resulting from abnormal electrical discharges in the brain (as in epilepsy)
2
: an abnormal electrical discharge in the brain

Legal Definition

seizure

noun
sei·​zure ˈsē-zhər How to pronounce seizure (audio)
: the act, fact, or process of seizing: as
a
: the seizing of property that involves meaningful interference with a person's possessory interest in it
seizure of evidence found in plain view
see also plain view sense 2
b
: the seizing of a person (as for arrest or investigation) see also arrest, stop compare search

Note: The Fourth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution guarantees the right against unreasonable searches and seizures. It requires that a warrant may issue only upon probable cause, and that the warrant particularly describe the persons or things to be seized. Not all seizures, however, require a warrant. A seizure that constitutes an arrest requires probable cause to be reasonable, and a stop usually requires reasonable suspicion of the particular person or persons stopped, although stops like those at drunk driving checkpoints may be justified by a plan that places explicit and neutral limitations on the conduct of police officers with no requirement of individualized suspicion.

More from Merriam-Webster on seizure

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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