confiscate

1 of 2

adjective

1
: appropriated by the government : forfeited
2
: deprived of property by confiscation

confiscate

2 of 2

verb

con·​fis·​cate ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
confiscated; confiscating

transitive verb

1
: to seize as forfeited to the public treasury
2
: to seize by or as if by authority
confiscation noun
confiscator noun
confiscatory adjective

Examples of confiscate in a Sentence

Verb Guards confiscated knives and other weapons from the prisoners. The teacher confiscated all cell phones for the duration of the field trip.
Recent Examples on the Web
Verb
In January, Tate won an appeal challenging Romanian authorities' seizure of his assets, which were confiscated in the weeks following his arrest. Landon Mion, Fox News, 12 Mar. 2024 Jihan didn’t have a phone—guards confiscate them during raids—and her tent lacked electricity. Anand Gopal, The New Yorker, 11 Mar. 2024 Police obtained a search warrant later that night and confiscated a Vitamix blender, a mortar and pestle, cups, straws, tramadol and five bottles of temazepam from Meyden’s home, per the affidavit. Sean Neumann, Peoplemag, 8 Mar. 2024 Roughly 62,000 pounds of fentanyl smuggled into California was confiscated by authorities in 2023. Nathan Solis, Los Angeles Times, 28 Feb. 2024 The 3-foot Burmese python belonged to a Baton Rouge resident, officials said, and was confiscated for violating Orleans Parish municipal codes. Irene Wright, Miami Herald, 16 Feb. 2024 Last year, police confiscated more than 100 guns in the area, Spencer said. James Hartley, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 5 Mar. 2024 The legislation would implement jail sentences of up to six months for possessing small amounts, and police could also confiscate drugs and stop their use in parks and on sidewalks. Andrew Demillo, Fortune, 4 Mar. 2024 Wildlife officers also confiscated hunting equipment and items harvested from animals. Olivia Lloyd, Charlotte Observer, 29 Feb. 2024

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'confiscate.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin confiscatus, past participle of confiscare to confiscate, from com- + fiscus treasury

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of confiscate was circa 1533

Dictionary Entries Near confiscate

Cite this Entry

“Confiscate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confiscate. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

confiscate

verb
con·​fis·​cate
ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt
confiscated; confiscating
: to seize by or as if by public authority
smuggled goods may be confiscated by the police
confiscation
ˌkän-fə-ˈskā-shən
noun
confiscator
ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt-ər
noun
confiscatory
kən-ˈfis-kə-ˌtōr-ē
-ˌtȯr-
adjective

Legal Definition

confiscate

transitive verb
con·​fis·​cate ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
confiscated; confiscating
: to seize without compensation as forfeited to the public treasury compare criminal forfeiture

Note: Illegal items such as narcotics or firearms, or profits from the sale of illegal items, may be confiscated by law enforcement officers. Additionally, government action that reduces the value of property to a person or entity as to make it nearly worthless has been held to constitute confiscation. Examples of such government action include the passage of zoning laws that prevent the use of land for its designated purpose and the setting of utility rates so low that the utility company cannot realize a reasonable return on its investment.

confiscation noun
confiscator noun
confiscatory adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on confiscate

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!