hijack

verb

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hi·jack | \ ˈhī-ˌjak

variants: or less commonly highjack

hijacked also highjacked; hijacking also highjacking; hijacks also highjacks

Definition of hijack

transitive verb

1a : to steal by stopping a vehicle on the highway

b : to commandeer (a flying airplane) especially by coercing the pilot at gunpoint

c : to stop and steal from (a vehicle in transit)

d : kidnap

2a : to steal or rob as if by hijacking

b : to subject to extortion or swindling

Other Words from hijack Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More About hijack

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Examples of hijack in a Sentence

He hijacked a truck, threatening the driver at gunpoint. A band of robbers hijacked the load of furs from the truck. A group of terrorists hijacked the plane. The organization has been hijacked by radicals.

Recent Examples on the Web Bringing their own genetic instructions with them, viruses typically hijack their host cell's manufacturing machinery – proteins called polymerases, which act as genetic photocopiers, and ribosomes, which assemble the viral proteins – to do so. — Miriam Fauzia, USA TODAY, 15 July 2021 Our heroes hijack a truck with a giant magnet machine on the inside and eventually use it to attract a full car, ripping it through a store. — Nick Allen, Vulture, 28 June 2021 The experience of stress during pregnancy can thus hijack a period of change meant to allow for positive adaptations and instead open the door for anxiety problems. — Rebecca Brooker, The Conversation, 12 May 2021 Gardening, for me, is a respite from the distractions that hijack my peace of mind and pollute my imagination. — Danielle Chang, Town & Country, 22 Apr. 2021 The kitchen is often the hub of the home — and one of the biggest sources of exposure to phthalates, bisphenol A (BPA), and other endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), agents that essentially hijack hormones in the body’s endocrine system. — Washington Post, 5 Mar. 2021 With a seemingly low barrier to entry, foreign hackers were able to hijack the terrestrial communication system Colonial relies upon to govern itself (the internet) and turn it against them. — Charles Beames, Forbes, 27 May 2021 Whether Moscow supported Lukashenko’s decision to hijack a plane is unclear, but some Russian state media were quick to offer their praise. — Yasmeen Serhan, The Atlantic, 26 May 2021 Innovators of complex, misunderstood technologies like fusion must also win the war for public opinion before comment sections and social media hijack the conversation. — Wal Van Lierop, Forbes, 25 May 2021

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'hijack.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

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From the Editors at Merriam-Webster

Dictionary Entries Near hijack

hijab

hijack

hijinks

Statistics for hijack

Last Updated

22 Jul 2021

Cite this Entry

“Hijack.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/hijack. Accessed 2 Aug. 2021.

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More Definitions for hijack

hijack

verb

English Language Learners Definition of hijack

: to stop and steal (a moving vehicle)

: to steal (something) from a moving vehicle that you have stopped

: to take control of (an aircraft) by force

See the full definition for hijack in the English Language Learners Dictionary

hijack

verb

hi·jack | \ ˈhī-ˌjak \

hijacked; hijacking

Kids Definition of hijack

1 : to stop and steal or steal from a moving vehicle

2 : to take control of (an aircraft) by force

hijack

transitive verb

hi·jack | \ ˈhī-ˌjak \

Legal Definition of hijack

: to seize possession or control of (a vehicle) from another person by force or threat of force specifically : to seize possession or control of (an aircraft) especially by forcing the pilot to divert the aircraft to another destination