seizure
gb/sˈiʒɚ/ us/sˈiʒɚ/
B2
English
~ 5400
Senses
0 senses
Noun
B2
event
1
Sudden medical attack in the brain
A sudden medical problem in the brain that makes a person fall, shake, or stop responding for a short time.
Usage pattern:
[someone] has a seizure
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes say "get a seizure" instead of "have a seizure". The usual phrase is "have a seizure". They may also confuse a seizure with a heart attack or stroke, which are different medical problems.
Synonyms
convulsion (More technical or descriptive; often refers specifically to the uncontrollable muscle movements during a seizure.)
|
fit (Common in some varieties of English for an epileptic seizure, but can sound old-fashioned or insensitive in other contexts.)
Antonyms
stability (Refers to a normal, steady state of brain and body function without sudden disruptive episodes.)
Collocations
have a seizure
|epileptic seizure
|seizure disorder
|grand mal seizure
|trigger a seizure
|suffer a seizure
Themes
health
|medicine
|body
Examples
- The child had a seizure at school and was taken to the hospital.
- Bright flashing lights can sometimes trigger a seizure in people with epilepsy.
- After his first seizure, the doctor ordered several tests to check his brain activity.
- She takes medication every day to reduce the risk of another seizure.
- Witnesses said he suddenly collapsed and began shaking, as if having a seizure.
Learner examples
- My friend had a seizure during class.
- People with epilepsy can have many seizures.
- If someone has a seizure, call an ambulance.
- The doctor asked him what he felt before the seizure.
- She is afraid of having a seizure when she is alone.
Noun
formal
B2
action
2
Official taking of property
When the police, government, or a court take someone's money or things away by law.
Usage pattern:
seizure of [property/assets/goods]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this meaning with the medical meaning and try to use context words from health, like *have a seizure*; for property and legal cases, use patterns like *seizure of assets* or *a drug seizure*.
Synonyms
confiscation (Very close in meaning; often used when something is taken away as a punishment or because it is not allowed.)
Antonyms
return (Refers to giving property back after it has been taken or held.)
Collocations
seizure of assets
|seizure of property
|drug seizure
|asset seizure
|court-ordered seizure
|illegal seizure
Themes
law
|crime
|business
|finance
Examples
- The government announced the seizure of the company's overseas assets.
- Customs officials reported a large seizure of counterfeit goods at the border.
- The court approved the seizure of his car after he failed to pay his debts.
- Police displayed the cash and weapons from the latest drug seizure.
- Human rights groups condemned the illegal seizure of private land.
Learner examples
- The police made a big seizure of drugs.
- The court ordered the seizure of his house.
- The newspaper reported a seizure of fake phones at the airport.
- He lost his car after the seizure by the bank.
- The company is fighting the seizure of its money.
Noun
formal
C1
event
3
Forceful taking of power or control
The sudden, often violent act of taking power or control over a place or group.
Usage pattern:
seizure of [power/control/the city]
Common mistake:
Learners may translate phrases like "take power" directly and not recognize the fixed expression "seizure of power", which is common in news and history writing.
Synonyms
takeover (General word for taking control; can be used for business or politics, while "seizure" tends to suggest force or illegality.)
Antonyms
surrender (Describes giving up control or power, the opposite of taking it by force.)
Collocations
seizure of power
|seizure of control
|seizure of the capital
|military seizure
|violent seizure
Themes
politics
|history
|war
|law
Examples
- The coup ended with the military's seizure of power.
- Protesters marched in response to the violent seizure of the government buildings.
- Historians still debate whether the seizure of the capital could have been prevented.
- The sudden seizure of control by rebel forces shocked the international community.
- The treaty followed the army's seizure of the border region.
Learner examples
- The war began after the seizure of power by the army.
- People protested against the seizure of the government.
- The leader came to office through the seizure of control.
- The film shows the seizure of the city by rebels.
- The king feared a seizure of power by his enemies.
Noun
literary
C2
event
4
Sudden attack of strong emotion
A very strong feeling that comes suddenly and makes someone act in a different way for a short time.
Usage pattern:
a seizure of [emotion]
Common mistake:
This emotional meaning is rare and mostly literary. Learners sometimes assume it is common like the medical sense, but in modern everyday English, people usually say "a fit of anger" or "a wave of panic" instead.
Synonyms
fit (Used in phrases like "a fit of anger"; slightly more common than this emotional use of "seizure" in everyday English.)
Antonyms
calm (Represents a state without sudden, overwhelming emotion.)
Collocations
a seizure of panic
|a seizure of fear
|in a seizure of anger
|a sudden seizure of jealousy
Themes
emotions
|literature
|core_vocabulary
Examples
- In a sudden seizure of panic, she ran out of the room.
- He felt a seizure of jealousy when he saw them together.
- A brief seizure of anger crossed her face and then disappeared.
- The news brought on a seizure of fear that left him speechless.
- In a seizure of guilt, he confessed everything.
Learner examples
- She left the meeting in a seizure of panic.
- He spoke loudly in a seizure of anger.
- A seizure of fear stopped him from moving.
- In a seizure of jealousy, she broke his phone.
- He bought the car in a seizure of excitement.
Grammar
Dictionary form
seizure
IPA
GB/sˈiʒɚ/
US/sˈiʒɚ/
Syllables & stress
seizure (1 syllable)
Stress on 1st syllable (seizure)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: seizure
- Plural: seizure, seizures
Word family
Forms
seizures
noun
Core family
seize
verb B1
Expressions
drug seizure
1/dɹˈʌɡ sˈiʒɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
Police taking illegal drugs
When police or customs officers take illegal drugs that they find.
Examples
- Police announced a major drug seizure at the port.
- The largest drug seizure in the country's history was reported yesterday.
- Photos of the drug seizure showed hundreds of packages on the table.
epileptic seizure
1/ˌɛpɪlˈɛptɪk sˈiʒɚ/
fixed phrase
Seizure caused by epilepsy
A seizure that happens because a person has epilepsy.
Examples
- Stress and lack of sleep can increase the risk of an epileptic seizure.
- She was diagnosed after her second epileptic seizure.
- Patients are taught how to recognize early signs of an epileptic seizure.
have a seizure
1/hˈæv ə sˈiʒɚ/
fixed phrase
Experience a medical seizure
To suddenly suffer from a medical problem in the brain that makes you fall, shake, or stop responding for a short time.
Examples
- If you have a seizure, try to lie on your side and call for help.
- He first had a seizure when he was ten years old.
- People who have a seizure at work should see a doctor as soon as possible.
seizure of assets
1/sˈiʒɚ əv ˈæsˌɛts/
fixed phrase
formal
Legal taking of property
When a court or government takes a person's or company's money or property by law.
Examples
- The court ordered the seizure of assets belonging to the corrupt officials.
- The company is appealing the government's seizure of assets.
- Banks sometimes face seizure of assets if they break financial laws.
seizure of power
1/sˈiʒɚ əv pˈaʊɚ/
fixed phrase
formal
Taking political power by force
The sudden, often violent act of taking control of a government or country.
Examples
- The coup led to the military's seizure of power.
- International leaders condemned the violent seizure of power by the rebel group.
- The film tells the story of the dictator's seizure of power.