seize on/upon
phrasal verb
seized on/upon; seizing on/upon; seizes on/upon
: to take or use (something, such as a chance or opportunity) in a quick and eager way
His critics have seized on the scandal to call for his resignation.
She seized on the opportunity to tell her side of the story.
Examples of seize on/upon in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
While the tanks roll down Constitution Avenue and the legal battle proceeds, the real-world risk is that Trump will seize on the threat of being thwarted by the judiciary once again to take the far more consequential step of invoking the Insurrection Act.
—
Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 14 June 2025
One way to do this is to seize on encouraging signs of hope and drive up a sense of positivity.
—Jo Causon, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Hegseth, who took the stage at the Shangri-La Dialogue, sought to seize on a gap China created in declining to send its own defense minister to the major annual gathering of diplomats, military officials and business leaders — an opportunity for the U.S. to make inroads with Asian countries.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 31 May 2025
Lander has tried to seize on the incumbent's and the frontrunner's troubles by arguing New York City needs steady scandal-free leadership.
—Ben Adler, USA Today, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for seize on/upon
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Ruth Marcus, New Yorker, 14 June 2025
One way to do this is to seize on encouraging signs of hope and drive up a sense of positivity.
—Jo Causon, Forbes.com, 8 July 2025
Hegseth, who took the stage at the Shangri-La Dialogue, sought to seize on a gap China created in declining to send its own defense minister to the major annual gathering of diplomats, military officials and business leaders — an opportunity for the U.S. to make inroads with Asian countries.
—Ellen Mitchell, The Hill, 31 May 2025
Lander has tried to seize on the incumbent's and the frontrunner's troubles by arguing New York City needs steady scandal-free leadership.
—Ben Adler, USA Today, 10 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for seize on/upon
Cite this Entry
“Seize on/upon.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seize%20on%2Fupon. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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