commandeer
verb
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Military forces have always had the power to commandeer houses. The Declaration of Independence complains about the way the British soldiers have done it, and the third Amendment to the Constitution states that the commandeering of people's houses shall be done only in a way prescribed by law. Almost anything—food, supplies, livestock, etc.—can be militarily commandeered when the need arises. But you don't have to be in the military for someone to "pull rank" on you: Your father may commandeer the car just when you were about to take it out for the evening, your teacher may commandeer your cell phone as you're texting in the middle of class, or your older sister may commandeer the TV remote to watch some lousy dancing competition.
Synonyms of commandeer
Examples of commandeer in a Sentence
Judith Martin, Mercury News, 4 Dec. 2025
But the position that began as coalition-building has evolved into controlling the floor schedule and flow of information and coordinating and commandeering committee work.
—Sorelle Wyckoff Gaynor, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025
Copeland matched the walls to the existing trim color to brighten the spot even further, creating a serene ambience—that is, when Frank’s three daughters haven’t commandeered it.
—Katherine Owen, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2025
Koumba uses them like a concierge service, commandeering Air Force One to jet-set around the world, waited on all the while by a retinue of babes in leopard print.
—Inkoo Kang, New Yorker, 22 Nov. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Cite this Entry
“Commandeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/commandeer. Accessed 7 Dec. 2025.
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commandeer
verb
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