Synonyms of commandeering

commandeering 1 of 2

noun

as in takeover

the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority

the Spanish navy's commandeering of fishing boats and impressment of fishermen

Synonyms & Similar Words

• takeover
• seizure
• appropriation
• annexation
• usurpation
• invasion
• expropriation
• preemption
• theft
• occupancy
• arrogation
• occupation
• misuse
• grab
• stripping
• pillaging
• confiscation
• looting
• assumption
• infringement
• impoundment
• detainer
• repossession
• embezzlement
• piracy
• misapplication
• encroachment
• sequestration
• misappropriation
• peculation
• defalcation
• attachment
• trespass
• ejection
• despoilment
• deforcement
• preoccupancy
• dispossession
• disfurnishment

commandeering

2 of 2

verb

present participle of commandeer

1

as in hijacking

to take control of (a vehicle) by force

an airliner commandeered by terrorists

Synonyms & Similar Words

• hijacking
• confiscating
• seizing
• appropriating
• skyjacking
• carjacking
• expropriating

2

as in seizing

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

• seizing
• confiscating
• stealing
• grabbing
• usurping
• occupying
• converting
• appropriating
• preempting
• claiming
• invading
• pirating
• expropriating
• arrogating
• annexing
• assuming
• snatching
• pressing
• attaching
• looting
• taking over
• impounding
• sequestering
• repossessing
• pillaging
• encroaching
• grasping
• despoiling
• wresting
• trespassing
• wrenching
• collaring
• infringing
• misusing
• misappropriating
• preoccupying
• embezzling
• misapplying
• peculating

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of commandeering

Noun

The authority dates back to the private commandeering of ships during the War of 1812. — Benjamin Guggenheim, Washington Post, 14 Aug. 2026

Verb

That doesn't mean hackers are now commandeering cars by the millions. — Mike McRae 20, New Atlas, 21 Oct. 2026

This leads to River commandeering a woman’s car and inadvertently gaining a partner in her dog Monty, who doesn’t figure into the action but is most assuredly a Very Good Boy. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 14 Oct. 2026

Or commandeering a military system or nuclear power plant in pursuit of its paper clip goal. — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026

In the course of three weeks, Israeli soldiers destroyed much of the area, razing schools and mosques and commandeering buildings for use as military posts. — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026

Westfield Valley Fair Mall in Santa Clara, California, began charging in 2022 to discourage commuters, travelers and other people not parking there to shop from commandeering all the spots. — Jessica Guynn, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2026

Imagine, then, commandeering a private plane for the ultimate two-week adventure entirely on your own terms. — Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 28 Apr. 2026

Although this year’s edition of the Oscars, which aired on ABC on March 15, was hardly in the class of the 1972 installment, there was at least one moment that recalled Johnson’s witty, graceful sendup of stars commandeering the ceremony to climb atop their soapbox. — Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026

After commandeering the offense with shot volume in recent games, Edwards played a real floor game to get his teammates involved. — Jon Krawczynski, New York Times, 6 Mar. 2026