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
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
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
Verb
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In the final cut, Mabel accidentally stumbles upon research being done by her biology professor (Kathy Najimy), discovers the technology, and hijacks a robot beaver.—
Brian Truitt,
USA Today,
23 Apr. 2026
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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
Verb
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Trump seizes America’s 250th-birthday spotlight, headlining the Great American State Fair, hosting a UFC bout at the White House and promoting new passports, $250 bills and coins bearing his image.—
Will Weissert,
Los Angeles Times,
3 June 2026
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Ellie brings up the salad and seizes the opportunity to take credit for her part in making lunch.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
26 May 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
-
The design is what grabs your attention at first sight.—
Utkarsh Sood
June 12,
New Atlas,
12 June 2026
-
The goal is to have a welcoming environment that grabs visitors' attention.—
Quincy Bulin,
Southern Living,
10 June 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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The album’s second half steals the show.—
Maria Nenet Barrios,
Pitchfork,
18 June 2026
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Critics are at 78% fresh for the older-guy-skewing period drama, which follows the dude who steals from the rich and gives to the poor.—
Anthony D'Alessandro,
Deadline,
16 June 2026
Verb
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Michael Jackson Fills 10 Spaces This Week The R&B Streaming Songs chart features 15 slots, and Jackson occupies 10 of them at the moment.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
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The Downtown Historic District occupies just eight blocks and includes some of Orlando’s oldest surviving commercial buildings built between the 1880s and the 1940s.—
Sarah M. Boye,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 June 2026
Verb
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The bill appropriates $495 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.—
Carrie Brandon Elliot,
Forbes.com,
18 May 2026
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The state appropriates within its budget to ensure bond holders know the state has the money, but the state hasn’t had to use that money because the admissions tax and tax district have funded the bond, Huston said.—
Robert McCoppin,
Chicago Tribune,
19 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Commandeers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeers. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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