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
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
According to the board, the measure prohibits any entity from commandeering city property that disrupts the city's operations.
—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
This is precisely the type of coercion and commandeering that violates the 10th Amendment.
—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
26 Jan. 2026
The crux of the coalition’s argument is that the immigration operation in Minnesota constitutes a violation of the Tenth Amendment, which protects the sovereignty of states and bars the federal government from commandeering state and local resources for federal purposes.
—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
In another way, this is about a coach commandeering a program and rebuilding it the old-fashioned way.
—
Arkansas Online,
19 Jan. 2026
In that first game, Jokic was seen commandeering the whiteboard to draw up a play in a timeout.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
16 Jan. 2026
Verb
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
According to the board, the measure prohibits any entity from commandeering city property that disrupts the city's operations.
—
Tim Fang,
CBS News,
25 Feb. 2026
This is precisely the type of coercion and commandeering that violates the 10th Amendment.
—
Laura Romero,
ABC News,
26 Jan. 2026
The crux of the coalition’s argument is that the immigration operation in Minnesota constitutes a violation of the Tenth Amendment, which protects the sovereignty of states and bars the federal government from commandeering state and local resources for federal purposes.
—
Gayla Cawley,
Boston Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
In another way, this is about a coach commandeering a program and rebuilding it the old-fashioned way.
—
Arkansas Online,
19 Jan. 2026
In that first game, Jokic was seen commandeering the whiteboard to draw up a play in a timeout.
—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
16 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeering
Noun
-
While the federal takeover of the city’s police department ended in September, National Guard deployments have continued.
-
In Greenville, North Carolina, the city's mayor enacted a curfew ahead of the holiday weekend in response to threats of a teen takeover, according to The Reflector.
Verb
-
That is how a quick hotel Wi-Fi session can turn into someone hijacking an account, locking you out, racking up charges or selling your access on the side.
-
Britain’s far-right has a history of hijacking incidents like this to use as fuel for their own narratives.
Verb
-
Authorities served a search warrant at the rescue on May 1, seizing electronics, business records, financial records, firearms, and other evidence, according to the sheriff.
-
For leadership teams worldwide, this requires striking a careful balance between responding to immediate disruption and seizing arising opportunities to bolster growth.
Noun
-
In court documents, O’Hara alleged the defendants violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, accusing them of unlawfully restricting free speech and initiating an unlawful seizure while using excessive force.
-
Later Wednesday, Mexico City Health Secretary Nadine Gasman, told a news conference that another man, about 30, was treated by emergency personnel after suffering an epileptic seizure, convulsions, and gastrointestinal bleeding.
Verb
-
In some videos, survivors accused soldiers of looting apartments and confiscating donated supplies—claims that remain difficult to independently verify but have fueled widespread outrage.
-
Amid anecdotal reports that airport security services have been confiscating bottles of ranch dressing that sports tourists have tried to smuggle out of the country, Kraft Heinz came up with a TSA-friendly size of ranch dressing.
Noun
-
Many of the projects are supported by the State of Florida through appropriations or by university bonding and private donations.
-
Also stalled are appropriations for the State Department, a resolution commemorating the anniversary of the enactment of the Working Families Tax Cuts Act, among other measures.
Verb
-
In December 1922, two Black men were abducted from the Pilot Point jail after being accused of stealing horses.
-
Wolfson and her friends would try the stunts at home, stealing shopping carts to push each other into curbs.
Verb
-
Americans are grabbing their passports and fleeing the country in hopes of leaving the nation’s problems behind.
-
Swanson argues those behind-the-scenes improvements have done more to modernize logistics than many of the industry’s headline-grabbing automation projects.
Cite this Entry
“Commandeering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeering. Accessed 4 Jul. 2026.
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