seize
/ˈsiːz/verb
seize is spelled S-E-I-Z-E: 5 letters and one syllable. It appears 6.3 times per million words in written English, the 9,594th most frequent word form (wordfreq, 2021 data). As a verb, seize means “To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture” (English Wiktionary, September 2026).
How many letters and syllables are in seize?
| Letters | 5: S-E-I-Z-E |
|---|---|
| Syllables | 1 |
| In writing | 6.3 times per million words; the 9,594th most frequent word form |
| Wrong spellings searched | none measured in search |
| Sounds like |
Sources: letters and syllables from the English Wiktionary's hyphenation or pronunciation; written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How common is seize?
Seize appears 6.3 times per million words in written English, the 9,594th most frequent word form in the list.
Source: written frequency: wordfreq 3.1 (a 2021 snapshot of Wikipedia, subtitles, news, books, web text and social media).
How do you pronounce seize?
- /ˈsiːz/
- [ˈsɪi̯z]
Seize has one syllable.
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Recordings: En-us-seize.ogg, Wikimedia Commons (author and licence on each file's page).
Words people confuse with seize
Sounds like: sees (Wiktionary's homophone list; some hold only in some accents).
Sources: English Wiktionary (homophones, alternative spellings).
Forms of seize
- seizes present, singular, he/she/it
- seizing participle, present
- seized participle, past
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
What does seize mean?
The meanings the English Wiktionary records, quoted as written there (source below).
verb
- 1
To deliberately take hold of; to grab or capture.
- 2
To take advantage of (an opportunity or circumstance).
- 3
To take possession of (by force, law etc.).
to seize smuggled goods
- 4
To have a sudden and powerful effect upon.
a panic seized the crowd
- 5
Alternative spelling of seise (“to vest ownership of an estate in land”).
- 6
To bind, lash or make fast, with several turns of small rope, cord, or small line.
to seize two fish-hooks back to back
- 7
obsoleteTo fasten, fix.
- 8
To lay hold in seizure, by hands or claws (+ on or upon).
to seize on the neck of a horse
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).
Seize in Spanish, French, German and Portuguese
| Language | Words |
|---|---|
| French | saisir, se saisir de , s'emparer de |
| German | ergreifen, fassen, greifen , beschlagnahmen , packen |
| Portuguese | agarrar, capturar, apanhar , apreender , aproveitar, valer-se de |
| Spanish | agarrar, apoderarse de, apresar, aferrar , aprovechar (se de), hacer a salto de mata |
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract). Translations are Wiktionary's, by sense; a linked word has its own PlainSpell page.
Where does seize come from?
Earlier seise, from Middle English seisen, sesen, saisen, from Old French seisir (“to take possession of; invest (person, court)”), from Early Medieval Latin sacīre (“to lay claim to, appropriate”) (8th century) in the phrase ad propriam sacire, from Old Low Frankish *sakjan (“to sue, bring legal action”), from Proto-Germanic *sakjaną, *sakōną (compare Old English sacian (“to strive, brawl”)), from Proto-Germanic *sakaną (compare Old Saxon sakan (“to accuse”), Old High German sahhan (“to bicker, quarrel, rebuke”), Old English sacan (“to quarrel, claim by law, accuse”).
Source: English Wiktionary, dump of September 2, 2026 (CC BY-SA 4.0), through kaikki.org (Wiktextract).