commandeers

verb

present tense third-person singular of commandeer
1
as in hijacks
to take control of (a vehicle) by force an airliner commandeered by terrorists

Synonyms & Similar Words

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2
as in seizes
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of commandeers Out-of-control AI escapes human oversight, commandeers vital infrastructure and kills millions of people or even all of humanity. — Max Zahn, ABC News, 16 Sep. 2026 After he’s randomly slapped by multiple women, Barney commandeers Ted and Marshall’s March Madness bracket to figure out which of his past conquests is sabotaging his love life. — Erin Strecker, Entertainment Weekly, 22 Aug. 2026 There is a seasonal meadow of two dozen native wildflowers, and a year-round spectacle of sandaster (Corethrogyne filaginifolia) commandeers much of the front yard. — Pedro Moura, Los Angeles Times, 3 Aug. 2026 An exciting scene ramps up the action as Castle commandeers a German tank and drives it over a cliff. — Pete Hammond, Deadline, 25 June 2026 The service Bjorn commandeers a small team, and often doubles up as bartender, concierge, and sauna turn-oner. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Mar. 2026 In the middle of the stuffy reception, Jenny commandeers the A/V system, blasting punk rock while a squad of models, clad in her early-aughts emo designs, climb on tables. — Matthew Huff, Vanity Fair, 22 Dec. 2025 When the State Department commandeers the West Virginia hotel to house Axis diplomats in the wake of Pearl Harbor, June realizes that nothing will ever be the same again. — Audiofile Magazine august 29, Literary Hub, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeers
  1. hijacks
  2. seizes
  3. confiscates
  4. grabs
  5. usurps
  6. steals
  7. occupies
  8. appropriates
Verb
  • Their predicament hijacks Irwin’s suburban family life, just as his wife Hester (Scarlett Johansson, not Hathaway) is diagnosed with a sudden illness.
    — Antonio Ferme, Variety, 26 Sep. 2026
  • As money hijacks morality and democracy begins to look like a hoax, Tresnjak’s Broadway-caliber staging contrasts garish spectacle with piercingly intimate scenes between Claire and Anton.
    — Theater Critic, Los Angeles Times, 16 Sep. 2026
Definition of hijacks
Verb
  • That reporting revealed that the state frequently seizes money from legal settlements stemming from medical malpractice, police brutality, workplace injury and other wrongful death lawsuits.
    — Ginny Monk, Hartford Courant, 28 Sep. 2026
  • Wilson, meanwhile, seizes on the opening to play teacher’s pet.
    — David Ehrlich, IndieWire, 13 Sep. 2026
Definition of seizes
Verb
  • Unlike most other states, California has its own inspection-and-approval system for fireworks, and confiscates those failing standards.
    — Trevor Hughes, USA Today, 30 June 2026
  • The children designated as Palestinians, meanwhile, have their drawings torn up and are relegated to small corners of the classroom while the teacher confiscates their candy.
    — Robert Schmad, The Washington Examiner, 26 Nov. 2025
Definition of confiscates
Verb
  • Over the course of Next Gen NYC’s season, which ended this past week, the model Ava Dash grabs a slice of pizza on Fulton Street; strolls through the Seaport; and calls her father, the hip-hop mogul Damon Dash, from a bench at Pier 17.
    — Adriane Quinlan, Curbed, 29 Sep. 2026
  • Ryan opens it, grabs a Diet Coke and asks one of his assistants to summon a cup of ice.
    — Daniel Libit, Sportico.com, 25 Sep. 2026
Definition of grabs
Verb
  • California courts have repeatedly refused to rewrite unconstitutional tax statutes on the grounds that this usurps the role of the Legislature or, in the case of an initiative, the people.
    — Jared Walczak, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 July 2026
  • After witnessing Sinner miss 16 break points against the same opponent on Friday, Alcaraz would have been forgiven for worrying that something similar might happen to him — especially against arguably tennis’s greatest escape artist, at least until the Spaniard usurps him.
    — Matthew Futterman, New York Times, 1 Feb. 2026
Definition of usurps
Verb
  • The gang steals sacred objects, but their movements around them can resemble ceremony not desecration.
    — Callum McLennan, Variety, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Absolom steals the screen in Jordan Firstman’s feature directorial debut Club Kid, playing the surprise son, Arlo, to Firstman’s NYC club event and bacchanalian protag.
    — Anthony D'Alessandro, Deadline, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of steals
Verb
  • For a touch of true elegance, book the Heritage Long Suite, which occupies the former postmaster’s office and is decked out with rich crown molding, marble fireplaces, and his original writing desk from the 19th century.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 30 Sep. 2026
  • The hotel occupies floors 30 through 36 of the Kioi Tower, with the lobby perched at the top.
    — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of occupies
Verb
  • Tiki bars aren’t without criticism, having occasionally been attacked as escapist fantasy that appropriates Hawaiian or Polynesian iconography.
    — Todd Martens, Los Angeles Times, 31 Aug. 2026
  • Summary The Caribbean is increasingly a global wellness hub, though Western influence often appropriates Afro-Indigenous practices.
    — Tiana Randall, Forbes.com, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of appropriates

Browse Nearby Words

commandeering
commandeers
commander
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Cite this Entry

“Commandeers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeers. Accessed 4 Oct. 2026.

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