Seize vs. Seise — Which is Correct Spelling?
By Tayyaba Rehman — Updated on March 20, 2024
"Seize" is the correct spelling for taking hold of suddenly and forcibly, while "seise" is incorrect. Seize means to capture or take possession of.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Seize or Seise
How to spell Seize?
Seize
Correct Spelling
Seise
Incorrect Spelling
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Key Differences
Remember that "seize" is visually more balanced than "seise."
"Seize" has the same vowel sound as "ceiling," while "seise" does not.
Link "seize" to "please," both having the "ease" sound.
Recall that "i before e except after c," making "seise" incorrect.
Think of "seize" as "see" with a "ze" sound at the end, unlike "seise."
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How Do You Spell Seise Correctly?
Incorrect: You must seise every opportunity that comes your way.
Correct: You must seize every opportunity that comes your way.
Incorrect: The king decided to seise the lands of the nobles.
Correct: The king decided to seize the lands of the nobles.
Incorrect: Seise the day and make the most of it.
Correct: Seize the day and make the most of it.
Incorrect: The police will seise your car if you break the law.
Correct: The police will seize your car if you break the law.
Incorrect: He tried to seise control of the company through a hostile takeover.
Correct: He tried to seize control of the company through a hostile takeover.
Seize Definitions
To take hold of suddenly and forcibly.
The officer moved to seize the weapon.
To capture or take control of by force.
The army aimed to seize the fortress.
To grasp an opportunity eagerly and without delay.
She decided to seize the chance for promotion.
To take legal possession of something.
The bank moved to seize his assets.
To affect suddenly and powerfully, as in an emotion or illness.
Panic seemed to seize him unexpectedly.
Take hold of suddenly and forcibly
He seized hold of the door handle
She jumped up and seized his arm
Take (an opportunity) eagerly and decisively
He seized his chance to attack as Carr hesitated
(of a feeling or pain) affect (someone) suddenly or acutely
He was seized by the most dreadful fear
Strongly appeal to or attract (the imagination or attention)
The story of the king's escape seized the public imagination
(of a machine with moving parts) become jammed
The engine seized up after only three weeks
Be in legal possession of
The court is currently seized of custody applications
Fasten or attach (someone or something) to something by binding with turns of rope
Jack was seized to the gun and had his two dozen lashes
To grasp suddenly and forcibly; take or grab
Seize a sword.
To take by force; capture or conquer
The kidnappers seized the prince. The invaders seized the city.
To take quick and forcible possession of; confiscate
The police seized a cache of illegal drugs.
To focus the attention or intellect on
Seize an idea and develop it to the fullest extent.
To make use of (an opportunity, for example).
To have a sudden overwhelming effect on
A heinous crime that seized the minds and emotions of the populace.
To overwhelm physically
A person who was seized with a terminal disease.
Also seise (sēz) Law To cause (someone) to be in possession of something.
(Nautical) To bind (a rope) to another, or to a spar, with turns of small line.
To lay sudden or forcible hold of something.
To cohere or fuse with another part as a result of high pressure or temperature and restrict or prevent further motion or flow.
To come to a halt
The talks seized up and were rescheduled.
To exhibit signs of seizure activity, often with convulsions.
(transitive) To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture.
(transitive) To take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance).
(transitive) To take possession of (by force, law etc.).
To seize smuggled goods
To seize a ship after libeling
(transitive) To have a sudden and powerful effect upon.
A panic seized the crowd
A fever seized him
To bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line.
To seize two fish-hooks back to back
To seize or stop one rope on to another
To fasten, fix.
(intransitive) To lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon).
To seize on the neck of a horse
(intransitive) To have a seizure.
(intransitive) To bind or lock in position immovably; see also seize up.
Rust caused the engine to seize, never to run again.
To submit for consideration to a deliberative body.
(law) (with of) To cause (an action or matter) to be or remain before (a certain judge or court).
This Court will remain seized of this matter.
Of chocolate: to change suddenly from a fluid to an undesirably hard and gritty texture.
To fall or rush upon suddenly and lay hold of; to gripe or grasp suddenly; to reach and grasp.
For by no means the high bank he could seize.
Seek you to seize and gripe into your handsThe royalties and rights of banished Hereford?
To take possession of by force.
At last they seizeThe scepter, and regard not David's sons.
To invade suddenly; to take sudden hold of; to come upon suddenly; as, a fever seizes a patient.
Hope and deubt alternate seize her seul.
To take possession of by virtue of a warrant or other legal authority; as, the sheriff seized the debtor's goods.
To fasten; to fix.
As when a bear hath seized her cruel clawsUpon the carcass of some beast too weak.
To grap with the mind; to comprehend fully and distinctly; as, to seize an idea.
To bind or fasten together with a lashing of small stuff, as yarn or marline; as, to seize ropes.
Take hold of; grab;
The salesclerk quickly seized the money on the counter
She clutched her purse
The mother seized her child by the arm
Birds of prey often seize small mammals
Take or capture by force;
The terrorists seized the politicians
The rebels threaten to seize civilian hostages
Take possession of by force, as after an invasion;
The invaders seized the land and property of the inhabitants
The army seized the town
The militia captured the castle
Take temporary possession of as a security, by legal authority;
The FBI seized the drugs
The customs agents impounded the illegal shipment
The police confiscated the stolen artwork
Seize and take control without authority and possibly with force; take as one's right or possession;
He assumed to himself the right to fill all positions in the town
He usurped my rights
She seized control of the throne after her husband died
Hook by a pull on the line;
Strike a fish
Affect;
Fear seized the prisoners
The patient was seized with unberable pains
He was seized with a dreadful disease
Capture the attention or imagination of;
This story will grab you
The movie seized my imagination
Seize Meaning in a Sentence
Entrepreneurs need to seize the moment when an opportunity arises.
The officer was authorized to seize any suspicious goods.
She managed to seize the lead in the final lap of the race.
The rebels plan to seize the city by dawn.
To seize power, the general staged a coup d'état.
The photographer was quick to seize the perfect shot.
Athletes seize their chances to win medals at the Olympics.
The government can seize assets obtained through illegal activities.
The company will seize the opportunity to expand into new markets.
To seize a better future, they decided to move to another country.
Historians study how ancient empires would seize territories.
In the jungle, predators must quickly seize their prey to survive.
During the raid, agents were able to seize large quantities of contraband.
Students should seize the chance to study abroad.
Activists seize every opportunity to advocate for their causes.
Inventors often seize on a small idea and turn it into something big.
Seize Idioms & Phrases
Seize the opportunity
To take advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself.
When she was offered a scholarship, she seized the opportunity to study abroad.
Seize power
Similar to seizing control, it refers to taking power, often in a political context.
Through clever tactics, the politician managed to seize power within the party.
Seize control
To take control forcefully or suddenly.
The rebels attempted to seize control of the capital city.
Seize upon
To quickly and eagerly take advantage of something.
The company seized upon the latest trends to launch a successful marketing campaign.
Seize a chance
To take a chance when it comes.
Knowing opportunities like this were rare, he seized the chance to work overseas.
Seize by force
To take something using physical force or strength.
The invaders seized the castle by force after a long battle.
Seize the throne
To take over a royal or leadership position, often by force.
In the history of the kingdom, several rulers seized the throne through coups.
Seize the lead
To move ahead of competitors, often in a race or competition.
She seized the lead in the marathon, overtaking the front-runner in the last mile.
Seize the day
To make the most of the present moment without worrying about the future.
Realizing life is short, he decided to seize the day and travel the world.
Seize every opportunity
To take advantage of every chance to achieve success.
To succeed in this industry, you must seize every opportunity that comes your way.
Seize the moment
To take full advantage of life's opportunities as they come, similar to "seize the day."
He proposed spontaneously, deciding to seize the moment.
Seize the initiative
To take the lead in a situation by acting decisively.
In the debate, she seized the initiative by addressing the most contentious issues first.
Seize upon a mistake
To take advantage of someone else's mistake.
The other team seized upon a mistake by the goalkeeper to score the winning goal.
Seize a victory
To win something, especially through effort or skill.
The underdog team seized a victory in the final seconds of the game.
Seize attention
To capture someone's focus or interest strongly.
The dramatic entrance of the performer seized everyone's attention.
Seize up
When machinery or parts stop working suddenly, often due to failure or lack of maintenance.
The car's engine seized up because it ran out of oil.
Seize assets
To legally take possession of assets, often for reasons related to law enforcement or debt recovery.
The government seized assets from the corrupt official.
Seize the narrative
To take control of the story or perception of events.
The company tried to seize the narrative by releasing their version of the incident.
Seize upon an idea
To enthusiastically adopt a new idea.
The inventor seized upon an idea for a new invention that could change the industry.
Seize with enthusiasm
To embrace something enthusiastically.
The community seized with enthusiasm the plans for the new park.
Common Curiosities
Why is it called seize?
It's called "seize" from the Old French word "saisir," meaning to take possession.
Which vowel is used before seize?
The vowel "e" is used before the "i" in "seize."
What is the verb form of seize?
"Seize" itself is a verb.
What is the root word of seize?
The root comes from the Old French "saisir."
What is the pronunciation of seize?
It is pronounced /siːz/.
Which conjunction is used with seize?
Conjunctions like "and" or "but" can be used, depending on the sentence.
Which preposition is used with seize?
"On" or "upon," as in "seize on an opportunity."
Is seize a noun or adjective?
"Seize" is a verb.
What is the plural form of seize?
"Seize" does not have a plural form as it is a verb.
Is seize an abstract noun?
No, "seize" is a verb, not a noun.
Is seize a negative or positive word?
It can be either, depending on the context.
Is seize a countable noun?
"Seize" is a verb, not a noun.
Is the word seize imperative?
It can be used in the imperative form, as in "Seize him!"
What is the singular form of seize?
The singular form is "seize."
Is the word seize a gerund?
The gerund form is "seizing."
What part of speech is seize?
"Seize" is a verb.
Which article is used with seize?
Articles are not typically used directly with "seize" since it’s a verb.
Is seize an adverb?
No, "seize" is not an adverb.
Is seize a vowel or consonant?
"Seize" is a word composed of both vowels and consonants.
Is seize a collective noun?
No, it is not a noun.
Is the word “seize” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
As a verb, it acts on a direct object, as in "seize the moment."
What is a stressed syllable in seize?
The entire word "seize" is stressed as it's a single syllable.
Which determiner is used with seize?
Determiners are not typically used with verbs like "seize."
What is the first form of seize?
The first form is "seize."
What is the third form of seize?
The third form is also "seized."
How is seize used in a sentence?
"The opportunity arose, and he was quick to seize it."
How do we divide seize into syllables?
It is not divided; it’s a single syllable: seize.
What is the opposite of seize?
The opposite could be "release" or "let go."
Is the seize term a metaphor?
It can be used metaphorically, as in "seize the day."
How many syllables are in seize?
There is one syllable in "seize."
What is another term for seize?
Another term is "capture" or "grasp."
What is the second form of seize?
The second form is "seized."
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Written by
Tayyaba RehmanTayyaba Rehman is a distinguished writer, currently serving as a primary contributor to askdifference.com. As a researcher in semantics and etymology, Tayyaba's passion for the complexity of languages and their distinctions has found a perfect home on the platform. Tayyaba delves into the intricacies of language, distinguishing between commonly confused words and phrases, thereby providing clarity for readers worldwide.
