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
His obsession with the numbers results in Thiel turning South Park into a surveillance state and commandeering all the students’ data to compile a list of cultists.
—
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
There is a First World War U-boat that somehow glides from underneath Lake Michigan all the way to Croatia, commandeered by its captain, post-Armistice, for new and clandestine uses.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Now, Samsung is commandeering some of the screens already set up in homes to display ads.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
After the war, the Allies commandeered Volkswagen production and got the show back on the road in 1945.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Glenn Garner, Deadline, 15 Oct. 2025
There is a First World War U-boat that somehow glides from underneath Lake Michigan all the way to Croatia, commandeered by its captain, post-Armistice, for new and clandestine uses.
—Kathryn Schulz, New Yorker, 22 Sep. 2025
Now, Samsung is commandeering some of the screens already set up in homes to display ads.
—Scharon Harding, ArsTechnica, 18 Sep. 2025
After the war, the Allies commandeered Volkswagen production and got the show back on the road in 1945.
—Robert Ross, Robb Report, 12 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeer
Verb
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Surfing soon dominated my Internet searches, hijacked my REM cycles, inspired a move to California, and spurred a new approach to travel.—
David Amsden,
Travel + Leisure,
5 Nov. 2025
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The overthinking loop, the freezing, the feeling young and overwhelmed—that's her prefrontal cortex getting hijacked by limbic system activation.—
Melissa Fleur Afshar,
MSNBC Newsweek,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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On Iowa State’s next possession, TCU senior safety Bud Clark came up with a massive interception right before the two-minute timeout, giving TCU a great opportunity to seize control of the game with the Horned Frogs getting the ball at halftime.—
Steven Johnson,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
9 Nov. 2025
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Pokrovsk would be the largest city Russia has seized since Bakhmut in May 2023.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Milwaukee Marshall High School confiscates a student’s phone until the end of the day for a first offense, requires a parent pickup after a second offense and issues an automatic suspension for repeat violations.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
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He once got caught with a knife, but correctional officers didn't confiscate it.—
Kristine Phillips,
IndyStar,
4 Nov. 2025
Verb
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In its court filings Friday, the administration contended that the judge had usurped both legislative and executive authority.—
Michelle L. Price,
Fortune,
9 Nov. 2025
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Twice, the administration appealed, contending that the judiciary had usurped Congress's spending power by directing the executive branch to find the money.—
James Sample,
ABC News,
8 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Maia’s horrified to realize that the bag was stolen; Tallulah’s mostly just annoyed she got caught.—
Caroline Framke,
Vulture,
10 Nov. 2025
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Before his imprisonment, Chacón was arrested in 2024 on a domestic violence charge and, in 2025, was accused of stealing merchandise at a Walmart.—
Tamia Fowlkes,
jsonline.com,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Inside the hole, that spin makes the ball roll along the cylinder like a mini-pendulum, converting potential energy into spin and then back again.—
Lydia Patrick,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
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That total recently got a boost from Father Joe’s Villages, which converted one of its downtown shelters into a detox and sober-living program.—
Blake Nelson,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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However, Cena outsmarted him by grabbing the chair, throwing it next to Dom, and pretending to be down on the mat.—
Matthew Couden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
11 Nov. 2025
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Security camera footage from a nearby apartment complex showed the naked man walking across the street prior to the incident, seemingly talking to himself and grabbing a sign, per NBC 4.—
Toria Sheffield,
PEOPLE,
10 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Beijing — When Ho Puay-peng first visited Beijing’s Forbidden City in the late 1980s, the Singaporean architect saw many of the historic courtyards used for storage, filled with garbage, and occupied by danwei (government offices).—
Fred He,
CNN Money,
6 Nov. 2025
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The Detroit Tigers, who occupied first place the American League Central for 187 of the 194 days in the regular season this year, came up short for the second season in a row.—
Jon Vankin,
MSNBC Newsweek,
5 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commandeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeer. Accessed 16 Nov. 2025.
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