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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Examples of commandeer in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
For his headquarters, staff had commandeered the eighth floor of a nearby insurance company office, known as the AMP (Australian Mutual Provident Society) Building.
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Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024
As the fourth veteran band to commandeer the Sphere – following U2, who opened the venue a year ago this month, Phish and Dead & Company – the Eagles both had standards to match, yet nothing to prove.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 21 Sep. 2024
The California legislation, which would be a first for the United States, comes as news outlets large and small struggle with a precipitous decline, laying off staff as digital platforms commandeer increasing chunks of advertising revenue.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2024
The couple’s good will is quickly tested as both women vie for control of the household, with Solange commandeering the titular room originally intended as a nursery.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commandeer 
Tony Perrottet, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 Sep. 2024
As the fourth veteran band to commandeer the Sphere – following U2, who opened the venue a year ago this month, Phish and Dead & Company – the Eagles both had standards to match, yet nothing to prove.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 21 Sep. 2024
The California legislation, which would be a first for the United States, comes as news outlets large and small struggle with a precipitous decline, laying off staff as digital platforms commandeer increasing chunks of advertising revenue.
—Jenny Jarvie, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2024
The couple’s good will is quickly tested as both women vie for control of the household, with Solange commandeering the titular room originally intended as a nursery.
—Nicholas Bell, SPIN, 4 Sep. 2024
See all Example Sentences for commandeer
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'commandeer.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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“Commandeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeer. Accessed 31 Oct. 2024.
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