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

• access
• attack
• bout
• case
• fit
• siege
• spell
• turn

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

Side effects of kids consuming caffeine could include rapid or irregular heartbeats, headaches, seizures, shaking, upset stomach and adverse emotional effects on mental health, according to the complaint. —Jonathan Limehouse, USA TODAY, 23 Apr. 2024

World & Nation In a storied Ukrainian city, a dance with wartime destiny Aug. 1, 2022 Russia’s 2014 seizure of Crimea and its fomenting of a separatist conflict in Ukraine’s east were a precursor to the current invasion. —Laura King, Los Angeles Times, 21 Apr. 2024

Within two weeks, Savannah’s seizures dropped by 95 percent. —Jan Goldsmith, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Apr. 2024

The speaker will then advance separate votes for aid to Taiwan and a measure to satisfy Republican foreign policy demands, including the seizure of Russian assets. —Shira Rubin, Washington Post, 16 Apr. 2024

The most severe infractions were: LMPD uses excessive force LMPD conducts searches based on invalid warrants, and the department executes search warrants without knocking and announcing LMPD’s street enforcement violates the Fourth Amendment, which prohibits unreasonable searches and seizures. —Rachel Smith, The Courier-Journal, 15 Apr. 2024

In this latest seizure, a Central Arkansas Drug Task Force agent stopped a semi-truck and trailer on Interstate 40 near Lonoke on Wednesday. —Danny Shameer, arkansasonline.com, 15 Apr. 2024

Tensions in the region are heightened after the strike on Iran’s consulate in the Syrian capital Damascus, which killed seven officials including a top IRGC commander, and the seizure comes against the backdrop of the conflict in Gaza. —Adam Pourahmadi, CNN, 13 Apr. 2024

In February, the Trump Organization was found liable to the tune of $464 million for borrowing against fraudulently inflated real estate values, and the $175 million bond Trump secured from Knight Specialty Insurance to postpone asset seizures until his appeal is heard looks dicey. —Christiaan Hetzner, Fortune, 11 Apr. 2024

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.