Meaning & use
seize every opportunity
Last updated
Meanings
phraseidiom
To take full advantage of every chance that comes your way, without letting any pass.
Grammar: Used as a complete verb phrase; it needs a subject, as in 'She seizes every opportunity.'
Patterns
- seize every opportunity to do something
- seize every opportunity for something
- seize every opportunity that comes along
He seized every opportunity to practice his Spanish while he was in Madrid.
The company seizes every opportunity to learn what its customers want.
If you seize every opportunity that comes along, you will rarely feel bored.
phraseidiomdisapproving
To use each possible chance to gain an advantage for yourself, sometimes in an eager or pushy way.
Grammar: Often used in descriptions of ambitious people; can sound slightly critical in this sense.
Patterns
- seize every opportunity to do something
- seize every opportunity for personal gain
She seized every opportunity to impress the managers, even when it annoyed her team.
Some politicians seize every opportunity for personal gain.
Common combinations
- seize the moment
- The market is changing fast, so we should seize the moment.
- seize the day
- After his illness he decided to seize the day and travel.
- miss an opportunity
- Don't miss the opportunity to see the exhibition before it closes.
- a golden opportunity
- The internship was a golden opportunity for a young designer.
- take advantage of
- Take advantage of every chance to speak with native speakers.
Synonyms and how they differ
- take advantage of
- More neutral and common in everyday speech, but it can also suggest using someone unfairly.
- make the most of
- Focuses on getting the best result from what you have, rather than grabbing each new chance.
- grab
- Informal and more physical in feel; 'grab every chance' is close but sounds less formal than 'seize'.
Opposites
Word family
- seize verb
- To take hold of something quickly or take control of it by force.
- seizure noun
- The act of taking something by force, or a sudden medical attack.
- opportunity noun
- A situation that makes it possible to do something you want.
- opportunist noun
- A person who uses every chance for personal gain, often without caring about others.
Commonly confused: seize every opportunity or cease? seize every opportunity or seize up?
seize every opportunity vs cease
'Cease' means to stop, so 'cease every opportunity' makes no sense; the two words sound similar but are unrelated.
seize every opportunity vs seize up
This phrasal verb means to stop moving or working, as when a machine or muscle jams, and is not about chances.
Practice
Which sentence uses the phrase correctly?
Choose one answer.
'Seize every opportunity to do something' is the standard pattern, and option 0 uses it correctly. Option 1 wrongly mixes 'for + -ing' with a past time word, option 2 keeps 'every' with a plural noun, and option 3 uses 'to' with a past form instead of the base verb.
Make it your own
Write a sentence using “seize every opportunity”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.