Vocapedia
Log inTry for Free

Looking up...

Explore

  • Words of the Year
  • Recent Lookups
  • Community Collections
  • How to Say

Dictionaries

  • English
  • Vietnamese
  • Japanese
  • Chinese
  • Spanish
  • French
  • Korean
  • German
  • Hindi
  • Italian

MY LEARNING

  • My Dictionary
  • My Collections
  • Reviews

Resources

  • Learning Resources
  • How It Works
  • Study Guides
  • Language Tips
  • FAQ
  • Getting Started
  • For Individuals
  • For Teachers

Community

  • Forum
  • Blog
  • Help Center
  • Partnerships

About

  • About Vocapedia
  • Contact Us
  • Feedback

Legal

  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Accessibility
  • GDPR Compliance
© 2026 Vocapedia. All rights reserved.
  1. Home /
  2. Dictionaries /
  3. English Dictionary /
  4. seize the opportunity

seize the opportunity

/siːz ðə ˌɒpəˈtjuːnəti/
take advantage of a chance

She seized the opportunity to apply for the scholarship.

She took advantage of the chance to apply for the scholarship.


general

To take advantage of a favorable situation or chance that presents itself.

He seized the opportunity to travel abroad when his company offered a work exchange program.

He took advantage of the chance to travel abroad when his company offered a work exchange program.

The startup seized the opportunity to expand into new markets during the economic boom.

The startup took advantage of the chance to expand into new markets during the economic boom.

This phrase emphasizes acting quickly and decisively when a good chance arises.

Collocations

seize the momenttake advantage of the present timemiss the opportunityfail to take advantage of a chance

Synonyms

take advantage ofcapitalize onmake the most ofgrasp the chance

Antonyms

ignore the chancemiss the opportunityoverlook the possibility

Related Phrases

miss the boatidiom
fail to take advantage of an opportunity
strike while the iron is hotproverb
act quickly when conditions are favorable

Pro Tip

Use in professional contexts

This phrase is often used in business and career settings to describe taking advantage of career opportunities or market conditions.

Gold Rule

Timing is key

The phrase emphasizes the importance of acting quickly when a good opportunity arises.

Word Origin

The phrase comes from the verb 'seize,' meaning to take hold of something quickly and firmly, combined with 'opportunity,' meaning a favorable circumstance.

Usage Notes

This phrase is commonly used in both formal and informal contexts to describe taking action when a good chance presents itself. It often implies a sense of urgency or decisiveness.

Word Breakdown

seize
to take hold of quickly
verb
+
the opportunity
a favorable circumstance
noun phrase
English Dictionary
Browse more English→English words →

Learning Progress

Track your learning journey!

• Save words to build your vocabulary

• Monitor your daily streak

• Get personalized review reminders

• See words learned statistics

Log in to access advanced features and track your progress!

Go to Dashboard →

Words of the Year

The most notable words that defined each year. Discover the vocabulary that shaped our world.