1
as in to hijack
to take control of (a vehicle) by force
an airliner commandeered by terrorists
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2
as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
commandeered all of the equipment, as if the chem lab belonged solely to him
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commandeer
Acronyms and jargon illegible to civilians are flying everywhere, and the world effectively shrinks down to a two-story duplex the Americans have commandeered and the market across the street viewed almost exclusively through a sniper’s scope.
—
Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2025
Each battleship has a handful of turrets and shield generators that look like the Eye of Sauron that must be disposed of before the Doom Slayer can commandeer the ship and take it down from the inside.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
Tailoring Black Style, was transparently political: commandeering black celebrities just the way the Democratic Party does.
—Armond White, National Review, 9 May 2025
Officer Tietjen was stationed at the PATH station in Midtown and commandeered a taxi to reach the World Trade Center.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Paul A. Thompson, Pitchfork, 17 Apr. 2025
Each battleship has a handful of turrets and shield generators that look like the Eye of Sauron that must be disposed of before the Doom Slayer can commandeer the ship and take it down from the inside.
—Kazuma Hashimoto, Rolling Stone, 31 Mar. 2025
Tailoring Black Style, was transparently political: commandeering black celebrities just the way the Democratic Party does.
—Armond White, National Review, 9 May 2025
Officer Tietjen was stationed at the PATH station in Midtown and commandeered a taxi to reach the World Trade Center.
—Thomas Tracy, New York Daily News, 22 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeer
Verb
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With his keffiyeh, aviator sunglasses, and beard stubble, Arafat first received media attention in the 1960s and 1970s, when the PLO was hijacking airplanes and perpetrating terrorist attacks.—
Sean Durns,
The Washington Examiner,
6 June 2025
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Microsoft accounts are now at risk from a new attack that has hijacked Google’s App Scripts to provide a veil of authenticity when sending malicious phishing emails.—
Zak Doffman,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
Verb
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Flores, a 70-year-old retired welder, had illegally seized a home five years ago after its owner, the California Department of Transportation, had left it vacant.—
Liam Dillon,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2025
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This harmonious and uplifting transit encourages you to take bold steps toward your desires and seize opportunities that come your way.—
Valerie Mesa,
People.com,
3 June 2025
Verb
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Provincial Police confiscated the 1964 Iso Rivolta Grifo A3 Stradale, entered in the Concorso by Thomas Shannon, after allegedly stopping its American driver on the streets of Cernobbio without an International Driving Permit.—
Michael Taylor,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2025
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Police confiscated guns, heroin, cocaine and $19,000 in cash when executing a search warrant.—
Meredith Colias-Pete,
Chicago Tribune,
20 May 2025
Verb
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The lawsuit says the administration is usurping Congress' power to direct how federal money will be spent and to pass laws.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
28 May 2025
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Comments Netflix's Sirens finds Milly Alcock's Simone usurping Julianne Moore's Michaela as queen of the Kell family.—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
23 May 2025
Verb
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Sophomore infielder Luke Nixon was responsible for half of them, stealing 14 in 16 attempts.—
Mitch Light,
New York Times,
29 May 2025
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As the automatic runner at second, Crow-Armstrong stole third to set up Michael Busch’s tying RBI single to left.—
Meghan Montemurro,
Chicago Tribune,
28 May 2025
Verb
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Entering the final year of his three-year contract with the New Jersey Devils, Haula’s full no-trade protection will convert to a six-team no-trade clause on July 1.—
Harman Dayal,
New York Times,
30 May 2025
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Months after the expose ran in late 2023, Brand also converted to Christianity and has been outspoken about his new faith.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
30 May 2025
Verb
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Appeal To All Five Senses People still like going out, meeting others and grabbing coffee.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2025
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Scott grabbed some pizza and returned to park her Subaru near the West Shore Market to wait for Serafini.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
6 June 2025
Verb
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Nearly the entire Republican Party, which occupied about seventy percent of congressional seats, voted for it.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
5 June 2025
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In a space formerly occupied by the finance ministry, a towering glass ceiling shelters statues that once cavorted in open courtyards.—
Caity Weaver,
The Atlantic,
5 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commandeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeer. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.
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