seizure

noun

sei·​zure ˈsē-zhər 

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

Synonyms of seizure

• bout
• attack
• case
• spell

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

In rare cases, infected patients may develop complications such as reactive arthritis, bloodstream infections, seizures or hemolytic-uremic syndrome, which involves damage to blood vessels in the kidneys. —Melissa Rudy, FOXNews.com, 14 Apr. 2026

Against the airport and its officers, the couple accuses them of excessive force, false arrest and unlawful seizure and assault. —Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 14 Apr. 2026

Indeed, because deportation is not considered a criminal matter, the constitutional provisions protecting those accused and convicted of crimes do not apply, including prohibiting unreasonable searches and seizures, providing a lawyer and requiring a jury trial. —Erwin Chemerinsky, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026

Administration officials have credited Section 702 with helping to rescue American hostages overseas, enabling the seizure of fentanyl precursor chemicals from China and even preventing a terrorist attack at a Taylor Swift concert in Austria. —Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

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

Phrases Containing seizure

• anti-seizure
• grand mal seizure

Kids Definition

seizure

noun

sei·​zure ˈsē-zhər 

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 

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 

: 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.