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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commandeer
In 2021, hackers commandeered 150,000 remote cameras, including in schools, police departments, jails and health clinics.
—
Srinivas Shekar, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
When the State Department commandeers the West Virginia hotel to house Axis diplomats in the wake of Pearl Harbor, June realizes that nothing will ever be the same again.
—Audiofile Magazine
august 29, Literary Hub, 29 Aug. 2025
At one point, Neville even commandeered a bus to rescue herself and others from those horrors.
—Janelle Griffith, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Trump declared a crime emergency earlier in August, and his administration deployed federal law enforcement agencies and National Guard members to the District, giving them unprecedented authority to patrol its streets while also commandeering the Metropolitan Police force.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Srinivas Shekar, Forbes.com, 8 Sep. 2025
When the State Department commandeers the West Virginia hotel to house Axis diplomats in the wake of Pearl Harbor, June realizes that nothing will ever be the same again.
—Audiofile Magazine
august 29, Literary Hub, 29 Aug. 2025
At one point, Neville even commandeered a bus to rescue herself and others from those horrors.
—Janelle Griffith, People.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Trump declared a crime emergency earlier in August, and his administration deployed federal law enforcement agencies and National Guard members to the District, giving them unprecedented authority to patrol its streets while also commandeering the Metropolitan Police force.
—Josh Meyer, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeer
Verb
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Some staffers say their replies were hijacked to make a political point.—
Arthur Jones II,
ABC News,
8 Oct. 2025
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This constant barrage overshadows the self-care experience, hijacking my focus and frankly, tiring me out.—
Caelan McMichael,
Allure,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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According to Rolling Stone, Watkins was first arrested in September 2012 after police officers seized a large number of mobile phones and storage devices after conducting a drug search warrant at his home in Pontypridd, a town in Wales.—
Giana Levy,
Variety,
11 Oct. 2025
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Polymarket for its part has drawn in younger users with a better platform and by seizing upon the pandemic-era gambling trend especially prevalent in Gen Z men—not to mention with a little help from a newly friendly regulatory environment.—
Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez,
Fortune,
11 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Retailers who break the order could face a $500 fine per day if the products are still offered for sale, and the Ohio Department of Agriculture will have the authority to confiscate any of the products.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
9 Oct. 2025
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In his work recovering brands that hold emotional and nostalgic value for Cubans — many of which were created by businesses confiscated by the Cuban regime after 1959 — Haber has just launched Guayabita del Pinar in Miami.—
Sarah Moreno,
Miami Herald,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Tata Sons followed this with an equally detailed press release accusing Mistry of running the business badly and even trying to usurp control of operating companies.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
10 Oct. 2025
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As Craigslist, Google, and Facebook usurped most of what newspapers counted on for ad revenue, my beloved industry cratered in all but the urban power centers.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
7 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Baltasar Rodriguez had stolen the ball from an Atlanta defender and crossed the ball to Messi.—
Michelle Kaufman,
Miami Herald,
12 Oct. 2025
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Look no further than Saturday’s Game 5, when both the Cubs and Brewers used an opener followed by a bulk reliever, and rookie Misiorowski stole the show with four strong innings to help the Brewers advance.—
Chad Jennings,
New York Times,
12 Oct. 2025
Verb
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The cells convert natural gas, hydrogen, or biogas into electricity through a clean electro-chemical process rather than dirty combustion.—
Jordan Blum,
Fortune,
16 Oct. 2025
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The system mimics how the human body generates energy from food, using enzymes and natural molecules to convert glucose into usable power.—
Aamir Khollam,
Interesting Engineering,
16 Oct. 2025
Verb
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In grabbing McNeeley in the same class as Knueppel, Sion James and Ryan Kalkbrenner, Charlotte wanted to infuse its roster with youthful players boasting an old school mentality.—
Roderick Boone,
Charlotte Observer,
13 Oct. 2025
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If her vibe is all about being cute yet comfy, grab the matching shorts for extra brownie points.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Glamour,
13 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Ulbrich thought Deablo had enough pass-rushing acumen to be an occasional blitzer and had the speed and length to drop into pass coverage in the middle of the field and occupy a large spot not just on the field but in the vision of the quarterback.—
Josh Kendall,
New York Times,
16 Oct. 2025
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The system has the ability to show warehouse operators how much of the warehouse is occupied, whether products and pallets are in the right location, how storage conditions seem and more.—
Meghan Hall,
Sourcing Journal,
15 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commandeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeer. Accessed 17 Oct. 2025.
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