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
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
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
As the logic of this new era of salary cap growth worked its way through the NHL, however, the marketplace was seized up by a talent crunch.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 11 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
In the latest instance, the primary roll thrusters have built up so much residue in their fuel lines that it's feared that the whole system could seize up in a few months.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 18 May 2025
Your money can become temporarily or permanently inaccessible, payment systems can seize up, and the real economy can be brought to a halt.
—Jon Helgi Egilsson, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
As staffers stream out onto the street, file boxes in hand, expense accounts disappear overnight, and the economy of the city seizes up.
—New York Times, 7 May 2025
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Orianna Rosa Royle, Fortune, 16 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
As the logic of this new era of salary cap growth worked its way through the NHL, however, the marketplace was seized up by a talent crunch.
—Thomas Drance, New York Times, 11 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
In the latest instance, the primary roll thrusters have built up so much residue in their fuel lines that it's feared that the whole system could seize up in a few months.
—David Szondy, New Atlas, 18 May 2025
Your money can become temporarily or permanently inaccessible, payment systems can seize up, and the real economy can be brought to a halt.
—Jon Helgi Egilsson, Forbes.com, 29 May 2025
As staffers stream out onto the street, file boxes in hand, expense accounts disappear overnight, and the economy of the city seizes up.
—New York Times, 7 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Seize up.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/seize%20up. Accessed 29 Jul. 2025.
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