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
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Recent Examples of commandeers
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
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
Verb
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By feeding a stodgy institutional figure like Powell into the AI-meme deluge, the internet hijacks the Federal Reserve’s image and accelerates it past the point of professional control.—
Eva Roytburg,
Fortune,
16 Jan. 2026
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All that progress rolls backward if males can take spots on both men’s and women’s teams; this torpedoes Title IX and hijacks women’s sports.—
Alanna Smith,
New York Daily News,
12 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Season 2 also seizes on an obvious opportunity.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
21 Jan. 2026
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The team successfully seizes two tons of gold and apprehends the leader of the criminal network.—
Isabella Wandermurem,
Time,
14 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Milwaukee Marshall High School confiscates a student’s phone until the end of the day for a first offense, requires a parent pickup after a second offense and issues an automatic suspension for repeat violations.—
Kayla Huynh,
jsonline.com,
5 Nov. 2025
Verb
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Video shows that in the seconds before Pretti is shot, the 37-year-old ICU nurse grabs the observer’s backpack when he is pulled to the ground by a group of agents.—
Yahya Abou-Ghazala,
CNN Money,
30 Jan. 2026
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The officer grabs Pretti’s shirt at his chest, pulling him back toward the vehicle as Pretti’s arms flail.—
Michael Biesecker,
Fortune,
29 Jan. 2026
Verb
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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
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Jokic usurps Nurkic Jusuf Nurkic became Jokic’s first backup center in unceremonious fashion, getting benched by Michael Malone 25 games into his third season.—
Bennett Durando,
Denver Post,
20 Oct. 2025
Verb
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If your boss repeatedly steals credit, your first move is not to react.—
Chris Lipp,
Forbes.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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When a ruthless despot steals a billion-dollar fortune, the team is sent to steal it back on what would be for anyone else a suicide mission.—
Etan Vlessing,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Jan. 2026
Verb
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Its much smaller, more casual sister restaurant, Dreamboat, occupies the same building and is a retro vegan diner.—
Lori Weisberg,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Jan. 2026
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The property occupies a sizable 6,000-square-foot lot.—
Bay Area Home Report,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
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The lawsuit argues the freeze violated federal law, including the Administrative Procedure Act and constitutional limits on executive power and how Congress appropriates funds.—
Sacbee.com,
Sacbee.com,
9 Jan. 2026
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The state appropriates funds for the voucher program at the beginning of the fiscal year and then seeks federal reimbursement.—
Lance Reynolds,
Boston Herald,
7 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commandeers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeers. Accessed 6 Feb. 2026.
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