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
Relevance
1
as in hijacking
to take control of (a vehicle) by force
an airliner commandeered by terrorists
Synonyms & Similar Words
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
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commandeering
Michael Franco, New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2024
She was accused of commandeering a car owned by a neighbor and former friend and then driving it into the woman, according to court papers.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Rita Ora once again returns as co-host alongside Seacrest, who’s marking his 20th year commandeering the holiday staple.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
Companies got creative when shipping costs skyrocketed, placing orders directly with factories to cut out intermediaries or commandeering their own container ships and planes to ensure timely delivery.
—Shannon K. O'Neil, Foreign Affairs, 21 Dec. 2021
Verb
View 3 Images By commandeering smart thermostats and water heaters and sipping power from in-home EV chargers, virtual power plants are being formed across the country.
—Michael Franco, New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2024
She was accused of commandeering a car owned by a neighbor and former friend and then driving it into the woman, according to court papers.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Rita Ora once again returns as co-host alongside Seacrest, who’s marking his 20th year commandeering the holiday staple.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
Companies got creative when shipping costs skyrocketed, placing orders directly with factories to cut out intermediaries or commandeering their own container ships and planes to ensure timely delivery.
—Shannon K. O'Neil, Foreign Affairs, 21 Dec. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeering
Noun
-
The takeover attempt is being led by Travis Kalanick, the Uber co-founder and former CEO.—
Lisa Kailai Han,
CNBC,
27 June 2025
-
Shell promptly rejected the report, but the market’s response was telling—BP shares eventually ended up 1.6%, suggesting that investors are reassessing the company's strategic worth and potential for a takeover.—
Trefis Team,
Forbes.com,
26 June 2025
Verb
-
Pretending to be dead, Gi-hun and his friends launch a surprise attack, overpowering the guards and seizing their weapons, leaving only one guard alive.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes,
28 Dec. 2024
-
Individuals are seizing opportunities as well.—
Devorah Lauter,
ARTnews.com,
23 Dec. 2024
Noun
-
The charges arose from what law enforcement officials described as a nationwide operation that also resulted in the seizure of financial accounts, websites and laptops that were used to carry out the fraud.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 July 2025
-
The wall text dutifully mentions the seizure of these works, which made their way to collectors such as Nelson Rockefeller through the international marketplace.—
Julian Lucas,
New Yorker,
30 June 2025
Noun
-
The original text of the Bring the Space Shuttle Home Act called for the NASA administrator and the Smithsonian to jointly develop a plan for moving Discovery prior to appropriations being made by Congress.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
4 July 2025
-
The new $5 million appropriation from the state is meant to enable UCSD to introduce a public health program at Southwestern as early as next year.—
Gary Robbins,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
3 July 2025
Verb
-
Miley has taken a leaner approach the past few years, only grabbing one jersey and leaving the rest in his locker for the clubhouse workers to donate or disperse.—
Brittany Ghiroli,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
-
Knowing defensive back is a glaring need, especially with the release of Jack Jones, is trading back and grabbing someone like Jahdae Barron while acquiring another second-round pick worth considering?—
Vic Tafur,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Verb
-
Unfortunately, mid-rehearsal, their mother, Rose (an absolutely magnificent McDonald), comes thundering onto the stage, usurping Jocko’s leadership and sucking up all of the air into the room.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
20 Dec. 2024
-
For instance, one of his first actions was to fund the Al-Jazeera Arabic satellite television station, allowing Qatar to set the agenda on TV screens from Casablanca to Cairo, usurping the role once played by state information ministries.—
Allen Fromherz / Made by History,
TIME,
30 Sep. 2024
Verb
-
Yes, Israel as an occupying power does not have that right to self-defense.—
David Faris,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Apr. 2025
-
City sit fourth in the WSL, seven points off Champions League qualification with Manchester United occupying third place.—
Megan Feringa,
New York Times,
11 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commandeering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeering. Accessed 11 Jul. 2025.
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