seizure

noun

sei·​zure ˈsē-zhər How to pronounce seizure (audio)
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

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 Destiny said her daughter, who spent 65 days in the hospital, will have seizures and special needs for the rest of her life, WLWT reported. Christine Pelisek, People.com, 30 Oct. 2024 Serious side effects of low blood sugar include seizures, coma, irregular heart rates, heart attack, and death.9 Low blood sugar is an emergent situation and can often be treated by drinking or eating foods to raise your blood sugar. Kirstyn Hill, Pharmd, Mph, Health, 29 Oct. 2024 People who aren’t pregnant can expect fever, muscle aches and fatigue that feel like the flu, headache, stiff neck, confusion, loss of balance and seizures. Eduardo Cuevas, USA TODAY, 26 Oct. 2024 Recent discoveries of fin stockpiling, coupled with seizures at ports, underscore the incomplete effectiveness of the ban in halting the trafficking of shark or rhino ray fins. Melissa Cristina Marquez, Forbes, 20 Oct. 2024 See all Example Sentences for seizure 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'seizure.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

First Known Use

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

Time Traveler
The first known use of seizure was in the 15th century

Dictionary Entries Near seizure

Cite this Entry

“Seizure.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seizure. Accessed 5 Nov. 2024.

Kids Definition

seizure

noun
sei·​zure ˈsē-zhər How to pronounce seizure (audio)
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 How to pronounce seizure (audio)
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 How to pronounce seizure (audio)
: 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.

More from Merriam-Webster on seizure

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