1
as in to hijack
to take control of (a vehicle) by force
an airliner commandeered by terrorists
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
At great risk to its business, Anthropic is taking a principled stand in the face of threats from the administration to commandeer its cutting-edge artificial intelligence technology.
—
Editorial Board, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Families and friends pile into cardboard watercraft of their own construction to commandeer through a course that, most of the time, ends with sinking vessels.
—Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
According to the board, the measure prohibits any entity from commandeering city property that disrupts the city's operations.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
The singer/songwriter/producer who has commandeered the charts for decades with more than 30 Top 40 pop and adult contemporary hits can easily zigzag topics, whether music past and current, shaking a martini, or applying moisturizer.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Editorial Board, Washington Post, 26 Feb. 2026
Families and friends pile into cardboard watercraft of their own construction to commandeer through a course that, most of the time, ends with sinking vessels.
—Anna Ortiz, Chicago Tribune, 26 Feb. 2026
According to the board, the measure prohibits any entity from commandeering city property that disrupts the city's operations.
—Tim Fang, CBS News, 25 Feb. 2026
The singer/songwriter/producer who has commandeered the charts for decades with more than 30 Top 40 pop and adult contemporary hits can easily zigzag topics, whether music past and current, shaking a martini, or applying moisturizer.
—Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 23 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeer
Verb
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As a result, the economy wasn’t hijacked by corrupt practices and oligarchs, as happened elsewhere in the post-Communist world.—
Claudia Ciobanu,
Chicago Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
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It's also recommended to enable two-factor authentication to decrease the chances of having your account hijacked.—
Joshua Sidorowicz,
CBS News,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Gil Messing, the Chief of Staff of Check Point, an Israeli cybersecurity company, said the FBI seizing the Handala site would help combat the perception of Iran’s cyber ability.—
Kevin Collier,
NBC news,
19 Mar. 2026
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So, when Ozzie (Kyle Bary), a former child star, finds himself in a heap of trouble, Jax seizes the opportunity to spice up her daily routine.—
Rosy Cordero,
Deadline,
19 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Earlier Wednesday, journalists were shown equipment confiscated in raids elsewhere, including uniforms and fake identification cards used by scammers to pose online as Japanese police officers to trick and intimidate victims.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
11 Mar. 2026
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His father was forged by years of revolutionary hardship—prison, persecution, life underground—before coming to power and reportedly amassing a war chest exceeding $100 billion, built in part from properties confiscated from religious minorities who fled persecution.—
Karim Sadjadpour,
The Atlantic,
10 Mar. 2026
Verb
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In other words, the apparatus that became the modern movie camera, up until digital technology usurped the role that film cameras played in capturing the first 100 years of filmmaking.—
Ryan Lattanzio,
IndieWire,
20 Mar. 2026
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The table by the front door was entirely usurped by leashes, harnesses, collars, assorted car seat belts and, of course, poop bags.—
Inga,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
16 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Shortly thereafter, VanSlooten stole the ball and drove the length of the court for a layup that made it 54-51.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
21 Mar. 2026
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Amedee makes a diving stop at first to steal a hit away from Cotton.—
Caleb Yum,
Austin American Statesman,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Tommy is on a one-man sub-baking, mayo-squirting, cheese-melting mission to convert London’s snooty sandwich-nibblers to hearty American sub-munchers.—
Dominic Green,
The Washington Examiner,
20 Mar. 2026
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Villanova is shooting lights out from three, converting on 14-of-29 attempts from deep.—
Andrew Greif,
NBC news,
20 Mar. 2026
Verb
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So grab your Kindle or take a trip to the bookstore, because your TBR is about to get a lot longer.—
De Elizabeth,
Glamour,
17 Mar. 2026
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Gui Santos put up 18 points and four rebounds, and Gary Payton II continued his strong run of play on the offensive side of the ball by scoring 15 and grabbing six rebounds.—
Joseph Dycus,
Mercury News,
17 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Overlooking the holy North Indian city of Rishikesh (where the Beatles visited in the sixties) and the Ganga river, the spa occupies 100 acres of the palace estate of the local Maharaja.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
17 Mar. 2026
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The property occupies a lot of 5,400 square feet.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
16 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commandeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeer. Accessed 22 Mar. 2026.
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