Seize vs. Sieze — Which is Correct Spelling?
By Tayyaba Rehman & Fiza Rafique — Updated on March 19, 2024
The correct spelling is "Seize," which means to take hold of suddenly or forcibly. "Sieze" is an incorrect spelling.
Table of Contents
Which is correct: Seize or Sieze
How to spell Seize?
Seize
Correct Spelling
Sieze
Incorrect Spelling
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Key Differences
Use a mnemonic: Seize Starts with 'S' and Ends with 'e.'
Link it with words that rhyme like "freeze," which also have "e" before "i."
Remember the saying "i before e except after c," which doesn't apply to "seize," making it an exception to remember.
Visualize a "Z" as in "Zebra" when spelling "Seize" to match the 'z' sound.
Think of "seize the day," a common phrase spelled correctly to aid memory.
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How Do You Spell Sieze Correctly?
Incorrect: The police will sieze the stolen goods.
Correct: The police will seize the stolen goods.
Incorrect: The army will sieze the city by dawn.
Correct: The army will seize the city by dawn.
Incorrect: Can you sieze the moment and make the most of this opportunity?
Correct: Can you seize the moment and make the most of this opportunity?
Incorrect: He attempted to sieze control of the company.
Correct: He attempted to seize control of the company.
Seize Definitions
To take hold of forcibly or suddenly.
Police were authorized to seize the stolen goods.
To capture or take by force.
The army plans to seize the enemy base.
To take possession of something due to legal right.
The bank will seize the property if payments aren't made.
To take the opportunity eagerly.
Seize the chance when it comes.
To be affected by a sudden strong emotion or physical sensation.
She was seized with a sudden fear.
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
The eagle can seize its prey with its sharp talons.
You should seize every chance to read more books.
I hope to seize the opportunity to travel next summer.
If we work together, we can seize victory in the competition.
The detective will seize the evidence for further investigation.
The hero will seize the sword to defeat the dragon.
The company aims to seize the market with its new product.
The government may seize illegal items at the border.
She managed to seize the last piece of cake before anyone else.
The firefighters quickly seize control of the fire.
It's important to seize the day and enjoy every moment.
Let's seize this chance to make a difference in our community.
Don't be afraid to seize new learning experiences.
They plan to seize more land for conservation.
To seize success, you need determination and hard work.
You must seize the moment to express your feelings.
We must seize this quiet moment to relax and reflect.
She could hardly believe she had the courage to seize her dream job.
The artist will seize any opportunity to create.
Sometimes, you need to seize control of your own destiny.
The cat will often seize the moment to sneak outside.
He decided to seize his fear of heights and go skydiving.
She was quick to seize the ball during the game.
It's crucial to seize your goals with both hands.
He didn't hesitate to seize the lead in the race.
Seize Idioms & Phrases
Seize the day
To make the most of the present moment without worrying about the future.
Knowing how unpredictable life can be, he decided to seize the day and book the trip he always dreamed of.
Seize upon (an idea or plan)
To eagerly or enthusiastically accept and act upon an idea or plan.
The team seized upon the new strategy to improve their performance.
Seize control
To take control forcefully or assertively.
The general was able to seize control of the rebel forces and restore order.
Seize power
To take control or governance, often by force.
The military attempted to seize power through a coup.
Seize the initiative
To take the lead in a situation by acting first or by taking decisive action.
In the meeting, she seized the initiative and presented her proposal confidently.
Seize hold of
To grab or hold something firmly.
She seized hold of the rope and pulled herself up.
Seize up
When a machine or part of the body stops functioning suddenly.
During the marathon, his legs seized up, and he couldn't continue.
Seize the reins
To take charge, especially in managing or leading.
After the CEO retired, his successor seized the reins and led the company to new heights.
Seize the moment
To take advantage of an opportunity when it presents itself.
When she saw the job posting, she knew she had to seize the moment and apply immediately.
Seize upon a chance
To eagerly take advantage of a chance or opportunity.
He seized upon the chance to work with the renowned artist.
Seize the lead
To move ahead of competitors or opponents.
In the final lap, he seized the lead and won the race.
Seize upon a moment
To take full advantage of a particular moment in time.
He seized upon the moment of silence to make his point.
Seize the opportunity
To take advantage of a favorable situation.
He seized the opportunity to study abroad and experienced a new culture.
Seize the throne
To take over a position of power, especially in a monarchy.
In the story, the young prince plots to seize the throne from his brother.
Seize the spotlight
To become the center of attention.
The new singer seized the spotlight with her amazing voice.
Seize attention
To attract and hold someone's attention.
The stunning performance seized the attention of everyone in the audience.
Seize your destiny
To actively pursue and take control of one's future.
She believed it was time to seize her destiny and start her own business.
Seize the chance
Similar to seizing an opportunity, but often implies a more immediate or sudden opportunity.
When the gates opened, she seized the chance to enter the concert first.
Seize the narrative
To take control of the story or perception of events.
The company seized the narrative by releasing a statement before the rumors spread.
Seize a victory
To win or achieve victory, sometimes unexpectedly.
The underdog team seized a victory in the final seconds of the game.
Common Curiosities
What is the root word of Seize?
The root word is from Old French 'saisir.'
Why is it called Seize?
The word "seize" originates from Old French 'saisir,' meaning to take possession of.
What is the verb form of Seize?
"Seize" itself is a verb.
What is the singular form of Seize?
"Seize" itself is the singular form.
What is the pronunciation of Seize?
/siːz/
Which vowel is used before Seize?
Any vowel could appear depending on the preceding word; no specific vowel is generally used before "seize."
What is the plural form of Seize?
Not applicable, as "seize" is a verb and doesn't have a plural form.
Is Seize an adverb?
No.
Which conjunction is used with Seize?
"And" or "or" depending on the context.
Is Seize a countable noun?
It's not a noun.
Which preposition is used with Seize?
"On," "by," or "from" as in "seize on," "seize by," or "seize from."
Is Seize a noun or adjective?
It is a verb.
Is Seize a negative or positive word?
It is neutral, the connotation depends on context.
How do we divide Seize into syllables?
Not applicable, as it has only one syllable.
What part of speech is Seize?
Verb.
What is the opposite of Seize?
Release, relinquish.
What is the first form of Seize?
Seize.
Is Seize an abstract noun?
No.
Is the Seize term a metaphor?
Not inherently, but it can be used metaphorically.
Is the word Seize a Gerund?
No, "seizing" is the gerund form.
Is Seize a collective noun?
No.
Which determiner is used with Seize?
"The," "a," "an" depending on context.
What is the third form of Seize?
Seized.
Which article is used with Seize?
Typically, "the" or "a/an" can be used depending on context.
Is the word “Seize” a Direct object or an Indirect object?
It's a verb and can take a direct object.
How is Seize used in a sentence?
"He seized the opportunity to speak."
Is Seize a vowel or consonant?
It is a word containing both vowels and consonants.
Is the word Seize imperative?
It can be used in the imperative mood.
How many syllables are in Seize?
One syllable.
What is a stressed syllable in Seize?
The entire word is stressed as it's monosyllabic.
What is another term for Seize?
Capture, grab.
What is the second form of Seize?
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.
Co-written by
Fiza RafiqueFiza Rafique is a skilled content writer at AskDifference.com, where she meticulously refines and enhances written pieces. Drawing from her vast editorial expertise, Fiza ensures clarity, accuracy, and precision in every article. Passionate about language, she continually seeks to elevate the quality of content for readers worldwide.
