1
as in hijacked
to take control of (a vehicle) by force
an airliner commandeered by terrorists
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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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Recent Examples of commandeered
Unfortunately, the Potomac franchise does not exist in reality but instead is a mildly dystopian parallel universe commandeered by the chaotic whims of Big Sister General Gizelle Bryant; therefore, Angel being a general pill doesn’t suffice as a legitimate reason to take issue with her.
—
Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Inside, the main floor has been commandeered by a mishmash of cash-only Asian food stalls, which gives it the feel of a makeshift street market.
—Hazlitt, 10 Dec. 2025
Speaker Joseph Cannon, a Republican who ascended to the position in 1903, commandeered the powerful Rules Committee, which allowed speakers to control not only which legislation received a vote but even the amending and voting process.
—Sorelle Wyckoff Gaynor, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025
Copeland matched the walls to the existing trim color to brighten the spot even further, creating a serene ambience—that is, when Frank’s three daughters haven’t commandeered it.
—Katherine Owen, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2025
In San José, however, local green spaces have been commandeered by the unhoused, with camps that have developed into villages, especially along the Guadalupe River, where the Crash Zone was located, and its tributaries.
—Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025
Under the cover of night, a flotilla of boats, some of them commandeered from local fishermen, tried to cross the Dnipro and land on the embankment near the plant, according to three Ukrainian military officers involved in the planning and execution of the assault.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 23 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
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
Shamira Ibrahim, Vulture, 15 Dec. 2025
Inside, the main floor has been commandeered by a mishmash of cash-only Asian food stalls, which gives it the feel of a makeshift street market.
—Hazlitt, 10 Dec. 2025
Speaker Joseph Cannon, a Republican who ascended to the position in 1903, commandeered the powerful Rules Committee, which allowed speakers to control not only which legislation received a vote but even the amending and voting process.
—Sorelle Wyckoff Gaynor, The Conversation, 1 Dec. 2025
Copeland matched the walls to the existing trim color to brighten the spot even further, creating a serene ambience—that is, when Frank’s three daughters haven’t commandeered it.
—Katherine Owen, Southern Living, 27 Nov. 2025
In San José, however, local green spaces have been commandeered by the unhoused, with camps that have developed into villages, especially along the Guadalupe River, where the Crash Zone was located, and its tributaries.
—Literary Hub, 21 Nov. 2025
Under the cover of night, a flotilla of boats, some of them commandeered from local fishermen, tried to cross the Dnipro and land on the embankment near the plant, according to three Ukrainian military officers involved in the planning and execution of the assault.
—Simon Shuster, Time, 23 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
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
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeered
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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The London punk rebels seized the revolutionary spirit of 1977 with their raw manifesto The Clash, then refined their sound with the flawed Give ‘Em Enough Rope.—
Rob Sheffield,
Rolling Stone,
9 Nov. 2025
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Government security forces seized 1,764 tonnes of cocaine between August 2022 and November 2024, followed by a further 601 tonnes between January and August 2025.—
Gustavo Petro,
Time,
9 Nov. 2025
Verb
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The property of citizens has been confiscated, there are floggings, and attacks.—
Ivana Kottasová,
CNN Money,
30 Oct. 2025
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But before heading to the airport, fliers might want to brush up on Transportation Security Administration alcohol laws to avoid having any drinks confiscated at security.—
Marina Johnson,
Louisville Courier Journal,
28 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Seguin converted a fake punt for a first down late in the fourth — Polk to Smith — to move the ball to the 25.—
Cody Thorn,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
7 Nov. 2025
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The interior includes a forward cabin, private head and shower, and mid-cabin area that can be converted to a berth for guests.—
Michael Verdon,
Robb Report,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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No Blue Jay has usurped Carter in that category this October.—
Andy McCullough,
New York Times,
26 Oct. 2025
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In September, the company's Cofounder and Chairman Larry Ellison briefly usurped Elon Musk as the world's richest person, according to a Bloomberg ranking, with a majority of the 81-year-old’s $400 billion net worth tied to Oracle.—
Claudia Levens,
jsonline.com,
22 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Shakarna grabbed her medication and headed to try to reach her, fearing for her life.—
Zeena Saifi,
CNN Money,
7 Nov. 2025
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But like de Blasio did 12 years earlier, Mamdani identified the growing crisis of unaffordability as the city's most pressing problem and grabbed attention − especially from the young and online − by promising to address it.—
Eduardo Cuevas,
USA Today,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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About 30 or so customers occupied the wooden stools of the old-school, salty hangout in an industrial strip a few miles from downtown Louisville.—
Ray Sanchez,
CNN Money,
8 Nov. 2025
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These actions helped lay the groundwork for the later establishment of the role of White House Press Secretary, a position first occupied by journalist George Akerson, whom Herbert Hoover had originally hired as his secretary.—
JSTOR Daily,
JSTOR Daily,
7 Nov. 2025
Verb
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And at the country mansion of Blenheim Palace, where Winston Churchill was born, a thief stole a golden toilet in 2018.—
Ashley J. DiMella,
FOXNews.com,
8 Nov. 2025
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James notched his fifth and final score in the third quarter, and the Heights’ defense stole the show, preventing Paschal from scoring until late in the fourth quarter.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
8 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commandeered.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeered. Accessed 10 Jan. 2026.
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