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 Around 24 million are facing acute food shortages in Sudan and famine has been declared in el-Fasher, the capital of north Darfur that was seized by the RSF after an 18-month siege during which the group has been accused of mass killings. Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 7 Nov. 2025 Their investigation seemed to confirm the AI giant was compromising user privacy, in some cases in order to maintain engagement by seizing search data that Google otherwise wouldn’t share. ArsTechnica, 7 Nov. 2025 Roughly 6,900 grams of drugs per 10,000 inmates were seized in 2020 — nearly 2,000 grams higher than the rate in the preceding year. Miami Herald, 7 Nov. 2025 Over that same period, CBP seized 50,100 lbs of drugs of all types, including 21,200 lbs of marijuana, 2,700 lbs of meth, 2,200 lbs of cocaine, and 891 lbs of fentanyl. Jeremy Lott, The Washington Examiner, 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
  • However, Cena outsmarted him by grabbing the chair, throwing it next to Dom, and pretending to be down on the mat.
    Matthew Couden, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • Security camera footage from a nearby apartment complex showed the naked man walking across the street prior to the incident, seemingly talking to himself and grabbing a sign, per NBC 4.
    Toria Sheffield, PEOPLE, 10 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 employees are all members of a union local known as University Professional Technical Employees-Communications Workers of America 9119.
    Cathie Anderson, Sacbee.com, 9 Nov. 2025
  • The account was not guarded by an extra layer of security known as multi-factor authentication.
    Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 9 Nov. 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
  • One front-line starter that may catch the Mets' eye this offseason is Pittsburgh Pirates hurler Mitch Keller.
    Shaun McAvoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 11 Nov. 2025
  • At least six vehicles and three auto-rickshaws caught fire, Delhi's deputy fire chief said later, adding that the flames had been doused by firefighting teams.
    Shivam Patel, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Verb
  • Maia’s horrified to realize that the bag was stolen; Tallulah’s mostly just annoyed she got caught.
    Caroline Framke, Vulture, 10 Nov. 2025
  • Before his imprisonment, Chacón was arrested in 2024 on a domestic violence charge and, in 2025, was accused of stealing merchandise at a Walmart.
    Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 9 Nov. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Seize.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/seize. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.

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