kən-ˈfi-skət
Examples of confiscate in a Sentence
Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 29 Mar. 2026
In January, the Colombian Navy seized over two tons of cocaine from a speedboat in the South Pacific Ocean, and in November, the nation announced its largest cocaine bust in a decade, with 14 tons confiscated at its main Pacific port.
—Kerry Breen, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
Police also can't confiscate recording devices if the documenter follows those rules.
—Caden Perry, jsonline.com, 26 Mar. 2026
Their passports are immediately confiscated and held by North Korean security officials in Russia, the report said.
—Jay Ganglani, NBC news, 25 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for confiscate
Cite this Entry
“Confiscate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confiscate. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
Copy CitationLegal Definition
confiscate
transitive verb
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.
