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

Examples of seizure in a Sentence

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 The search also resulted in the seizure of multiple firearms, including a machine gun and body armor. Salvador Hernandez, Los Angeles Times, 6 Mar. 2024 The special marked the first Descendants installment without star Cameron Boyce, who tragically died at age 20 in July 2019 after suffering a seizure in his sleep due to epilepsy. Kelsie Gibson, Peoplemag, 5 Mar. 2024 At the hospital, doctors ran tests on Ruffin for seizures but no results have been released as of his capture. Louis Casiano, Fox News, 28 Feb. 2024 The seizure came after a 42-year-old man driving a commercial tractor-trailer tried to cross at the Otay Mesa Commercial Facility. City News Service, San Diego Union-Tribune, 26 Feb. 2024 Dee Dee also later insisted Gypsy had seizures, asthma and hearing and visual issues, and had doctors prescribe medications and perform surgeries for these conditions. Hannah Kirby, Journal Sentinel, 26 Feb. 2024 Officers made the seizure on Sunday at the Camino Real International Bridge. Aliza Chasan, CBS News, 22 Feb. 2024 Although the town doesn’t hold great strategic significance, its seizure could add to the mounting pressure on Kyiv to hold its positions amid faltering Western aid and critical ammunition shortages. Yuliya Talmazan, NBC News, 17 Feb. 2024 Spanish authorities have mounted intermittent operations to root out the Russian syndicates, including one that occupied investigators for seven years before culminating in sweeping arrests and property seizures three years ago. Greg Miller, Washington Post, 21 Feb. 2024

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 19 Mar. 2024.

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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