1
as in hijacked
to take control of (a vehicle) by force
an airliner commandeered by terrorists
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in seized
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 commandeered
Sonoma State commandeered the spotlight, announcing the discontinuation of its sports department due to a hefty $24 million budget deficit.
—
Ryan Curry, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Mar. 2026
Elsewhere, on the corner of Broadway and Fourth streets, Mero has commandeered a once historic building that’s been burned and left to rot.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 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
Adam’s girlfriend, Angela, commandeered the kitchen, churning out hundreds of dumplings for dinner.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Schwarzenegger commandeered the stage with then-wife Maria Shriver to thank the crowds for the stellar turnout.
—René Guzman, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Feb. 2026
Not even the closets are safe from being commandeered as exhibit space for the Chicago Collective.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 30 Jan. 2026
With the help of Obruchev, Safin plans to mass-produce Heracles on an island called the Poison Garden, which was once owned by his family but commandeered by SPECTRE after their murder.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
The washer and dryer were commandeered as beer coolers and Melanie’s special mix tape was blasting over the house stereo.
—Dustin Timbrook, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Ryan Curry, San Francisco Chronicle, 4 Mar. 2026
Elsewhere, on the corner of Broadway and Fourth streets, Mero has commandeered a once historic building that’s been burned and left to rot.
—Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 4 Mar. 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
Adam’s girlfriend, Angela, commandeered the kitchen, churning out hundreds of dumplings for dinner.
—Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Schwarzenegger commandeered the stage with then-wife Maria Shriver to thank the crowds for the stellar turnout.
—René Guzman, San Antonio Express-News, 4 Feb. 2026
Not even the closets are safe from being commandeered as exhibit space for the Chicago Collective.
—Jean E. Palmieri, Footwear News, 30 Jan. 2026
With the help of Obruchev, Safin plans to mass-produce Heracles on an island called the Poison Garden, which was once owned by his family but commandeered by SPECTRE after their murder.
—Allison Degrushe, Entertainment Weekly, 28 Jan. 2026
The washer and dryer were commandeered as beer coolers and Melanie’s special mix tape was blasting over the house stereo.
—Dustin Timbrook, AJC.com, 28 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeered
Verb
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The incident started when Lamar Alexander and Ronnie Jerome Hill robbed a Coral Gables jewelry store, then hijacked Ordoñez’s UPS truck 2 miles away and took him with them on a high-speed chase into Broward County that ended at a crowded Miramar intersection.—
Cindy Krischer Goodman,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
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Hill and Alexander then hijacked the UPS truck driven by Ordóñez — with the driver still in it.—
Grethel Aguila,
Miami Herald,
23 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The department shared photos of what their officers seized, which included a gun and a baby bottle authorities say was filled with the drug mixture known as lean.—
Dan Raby,
CBS News,
27 Mar. 2026
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In March, Hungarian counterterrorism authorities seized two trucks, owned by a Ukrainian bank, that were passing through the country on a routine cash-transport run from Vienna.—
Anne Applebaum,
The Atlantic,
27 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Upon arrival in Russia, passports are immediately confiscated and retained by North Korean security officials, according to the report.—
Efrat Lachter,
FOXNews.com,
29 Mar. 2026
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In January, the Colombian Navy seized over two tons of cocaine from a speedboat in the South Pacific Ocean, and in November, the nation announced its largest cocaine bust in a decade, with 14 tons confiscated at its main Pacific port.—
Kerry Breen,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Eastern Orthodox churches use the Julian calendar, which can place the date of Easter anywhere between April 4 and May 8 when it's converted back to the Gregorian calendar.—
Carlie Procell,
USA Today,
29 Mar. 2026
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Diaz converted 28 of 31 save chances last season before the Dodgers lured him away with a $69 million, three-year deal.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
28 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Vodka had overtaken gin in popularity by 1967, but by 2000 had fully usurped it, like Claudius to King Hamlet—occupied its position, married its wife, and taken control of its lands.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
21 Mar. 2026
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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
Verb
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The prosecutor said Abril confronted the couple, at which point James MacEgan was shot and killed, before Abril grabbed MacEgan’s wife and pulled her into the creek.—
Rosalio Ahumada,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2026
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Scheierman also hit two earlier threes, grabbed five rebounds and pestered Gilgeous-Alexander to force a third-quarter turnover to help Boston take down the defending NBA champions 119-109.—
Zack Cox,
Boston Herald,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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The plush red seats of the Concertgebouw's main auditorium are occupied by students cramming for upcoming exams and finishing dissertations as classical music fills the hall.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
26 Mar. 2026
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As expected Thursday, the shortstop Lindor and the left fielder Soto occupied the first two spots in the Mets’ revamped batting order, followed by third baseman Bo Bichette and first baseman Jorge Polanco.—
Peter Sblendorio,
New York Daily News,
26 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Shortstop Rachel Swenson drew a two-out walk in the bottom of the fourth, stole second and third base, and crossed home plate after a Country Day miscue to give the Eagles a 2-1 advantage.—
Mike Waters,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
25 Mar. 2026
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Police said that in each instance, the thief broke into a locked car on the street or in a public parking garage and stole the vehicle.—
CBS Chicago Team,
CBS News,
24 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commandeered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeered. Accessed 30 Mar. 2026.
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