apoderarse de / hacerse con
verbCEFR B2
What does “apoderarse de / hacerse con” mean in English?
to seize, to take control of
to seize, to take control of (apoderarse de + noun — always reflexive; also figurative: el miedo se apoderó de)
Example sentences
El partido consiguió apoderarse de la mayoría parlamentaria tras las elecciones más reñidas.
The party managed to seize the parliamentary majority after the closest election ever.
El pánico se apoderó de los mercados financieros tras el anuncio de la quiebra bancaria.
Panic seized financial markets after the announcement of the banking collapse.
How to use it
Apoderarse de means 'to seize' or 'to take control of'. Always reflexive; followed by de + noun. More formal than tomar (take) in political/military contexts. Collocations: apoderarse del poder, apoderarse del mercado, el miedo se apoderó de (fear took hold of). The figurative emotional sense is very productive.
Common mistake
Apoderarse de (seize — reflexive + de) vs. tomar (take — transitive, no reflexive) vs. hacerse con (get hold of — informal). The emotional figurative sense (el miedo se apoderó de mí) is a B2 fixed pattern worth memorising.