seize

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Synonym Chooser

How is the word seize different from other verbs like it?

Some common synonyms of seize are clutch, grab, grasp, snatch, and take. While all these words mean "to get hold of by or as if by catching up with the hand," seize implies a sudden and forcible movement in getting hold of something tangible or an apprehending of something fleeting or elusive when intangible.

seized the suspect

When might clutch be a better fit than seize?

While the synonyms clutch and seize are close in meaning, clutch suggests avidity or anxiety in seizing or grasping and may imply less success in holding.

clutching her purse

How are the words grab and snatch related as synonyms of seize?

Grab implies more roughness or rudeness than snatch.

grabbed roughly by the arm

When is it sensible to use grasp instead of seize?

The words grasp and seize are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, grasp stresses a laying hold so as to have firmly in possession.

grasp the handle and pull

How do snatch and seize relate to one another?

Snatch suggests more suddenness or quickness but less force than seize.

snatched a doughnut and ran

When could take be used to replace seize?

The words take and seize can be used in similar contexts, but take is a general term applicable to any manner of getting something into one's possession or control.

take some salad from the bowl

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of seize As French police, government officials and top executives at the Louvre Museum continue to scratch their heads over how thieves managed to brazenly steal priceless jewelry in broad daylight, a German company is seizing the moment and grabbing its 15 minutes of fame. Lianne Kolirin, CNN Money, 24 Oct. 2025 The victims are local teenagers, seized in roundups, while the courtesans, whose ghastly storytelling each night inspires the action, are like camp followers, the guards collaborators. David Wingrave, Harpers Magazine, 24 Oct. 2025 After reports that Slater opposed the settlement but was overruled by Attorney General Pam Bondi, Democrats seized on it as an example of political interference from Trump-supporting lobbyists. Ted Johnson, Deadline, 24 Oct. 2025 That could include the roughly $40,000 seized by law enforcement and the Wilder property. Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 24 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for seize
Recent Examples of Synonyms for seize
Verb
  • Adoption accelerates naturally when professionals understand that AI is amplifying their capabilities, rather than replacing them.
    Feon Ang, Fortune, 7 Nov. 2025
  • Members of the new Agentic Futures Initiative believe lawmakers and officials need to better understand the technology to ensure new products remain interoperable across platforms, private — and secure.
    Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 7 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The man was arrested by authorities, said Mexico City mayor, Clara Brugada.
    Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 6 Nov. 2025
  • Mount Ida Mayor Vann Morgan was arrested Tuesday after, auditors said, he was overpaid by more than $94,000 over a 17-month period.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 6 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The woman’s mother then reportedly grabbed Crouch to keep him away from her daughter, causing Crouch to allegedly begin attacking the victim, the affidavit said.
    Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 3 Nov. 2025
  • Again, hopefully, Foxx was able to relax a little, grab some rays and just breathe.
    Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Milwaukee Marshall High School confiscates a student’s phone until the end of the day for a first offense, requires a parent pickup after a second offense and issues an automatic suspension for repeat violations.
    Kayla Huynh, jsonline.com, 5 Nov. 2025
  • He once got caught with a knife, but correctional officers didn't confiscate it.
    Kristine Phillips, IndyStar, 4 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • The charitable organization funded by the Johnson & Johnson heiress is known for gifts to education, health and civic projects.
    Dave Smith, Fortune, 26 Oct. 2025
  • Also known as irritable hip, the condition is due to inflammation of the hip joint lining.
    Emily Blackwood, PEOPLE, 26 Oct. 2025
Verb
  • After throwing the sandwich, Dunn ran off but was apprehended about a block away.
    Sydney Lake, Fortune, 5 Nov. 2025
  • Authorities apprehended a suspect — 22-year-old Tyler Robinson — after an extensive manhunt.
    Michael Nied, PEOPLE, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • But the man who caught her eye in the end was practically a stranger.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 4 Nov. 2025
  • The hiring has caught the attention of the beauty world today.
    Emma Hinchliffe, Fortune, 3 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Helm topples trees, uproots crops, overturns feed stacks, steals loose blankets.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 3 Nov. 2025
  • French officials and the Louvre Museum have come under international fire in the days and weeks after the heist for security insufficiencies that allowed thieves to steal priceless artifacts in broad daylight.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 2 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Seize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seize. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on seize

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