seize up
phrasal verb
seized up; seizing up; seizes up
: to stop working because the moving parts can no longer move
The engine/brakes suddenly seized up.
—sometimes used figurativelyHer brain seized up when she tried to answer the question.
Examples of seize up in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Of course, on another night, Miami’s CJ Daniels doesn’t make a one-handed touchdown grab after beating Moore with a double move and Shuler seizing up.
—
Pete Sampson, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Attorney General Pam Bondi was already offering a reward of $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest and seized up to $700 million of assets allegedly linked to him on Aug. 13, including luxury goods, bank accounts, and private jets.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Most importantly, don't fret if your frosting seizes up or separates.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
When its network seizes up, the ripple effect touches every major US hub, from JFK and LAX to Seattle and Miami.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
Private credit isn’t subject to the same regulations or oversight as banks, raising contagion risk if the market seizes up.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 16 July 2025
Elston should be the gateway to Lincoln Yards, but when a popular band is performing at the Salt Shed between Division Street and North Avenue, Elston seizes up.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
By contrast, the simplest IoT chip that uses Wi-Fi would rely on a single frequency band—perhaps 2.5 or 5 gigahertz—and could potentially seize up if too many other devices were using the same channel.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 July 2025
For example, the government can garnish up to 15% of federal employee wages, and can seize up to 100% of payments owed to federal contractors and vendors.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
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Pete Sampson, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
Advertisement Attorney General Pam Bondi was already offering a reward of $50 million for information leading to Maduro’s arrest and seized up to $700 million of assets allegedly linked to him on Aug. 13, including luxury goods, bank accounts, and private jets.
—Rebecca Schneid, Time, 6 Sep. 2025
Most importantly, don't fret if your frosting seizes up or separates.
—Josh Miller, Southern Living, 23 Aug. 2025
When its network seizes up, the ripple effect touches every major US hub, from JFK and LAX to Seattle and Miami.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 16 Aug. 2025
Private credit isn’t subject to the same regulations or oversight as banks, raising contagion risk if the market seizes up.
—Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 16 July 2025
Elston should be the gateway to Lincoln Yards, but when a popular band is performing at the Salt Shed between Division Street and North Avenue, Elston seizes up.
—F.k. Plous, Chicago Tribune, 11 July 2025
By contrast, the simplest IoT chip that uses Wi-Fi would rely on a single frequency band—perhaps 2.5 or 5 gigahertz—and could potentially seize up if too many other devices were using the same channel.
—IEEE Spectrum, 9 July 2025
For example, the government can garnish up to 15% of federal employee wages, and can seize up to 100% of payments owed to federal contractors and vendors.
—Adam S. Minsky, Forbes.com, 5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Seize up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seize%20up. Accessed 21 Sep. 2025.
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