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

Although law enforcement seizures of illicit fentanyl have surged in recent years, there’s also some evidence that the drug supply is changing again. —Deidre McPhillips, CNN, 8 Feb. 2025

The lawsuit alleges Coleman filed a knowingly false affidavit with the goal of achieving a search warrant that led to the seizure of four vehicles and Fidelity Investment accounts valued at $5.5 million. —Samantha Moilanen, Chicago Tribune, 5 Feb. 2025

Yet Hamas' victory in the last-ever Palestinian elections held in 2006 gave way to infighting and Hamas' eventual seizure of the territory in 2007. —Ellie Cook, Newsweek, 5 Feb. 2025

The share of frisks and fuller searches complying with the ruling — and the Constitution’s Fourth Amendment guarantee against unreasonable searches and seizures — were lower than the stop numbers. —New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 5 Feb. 2025

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.