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
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
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
Verb
-
Tired of living in Cinderella’s shadow, Lilith steals the Fairy Godmother’s (Bette Midler) magic wand and hijacks the Royal Ball with her sister, Margot (Stephanie Hsu).
-
The latter hijacks your attention.
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.
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Ellie brings up the salad and seizes the opportunity to take credit for her part in making lunch.
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.
-
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.
Verb
-
What actually cuts through and grabs attention nowadays is humanity, clarity and credibility in messaging.
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When Martinez throws something back, the woman rushes toward her, throws her to the ground, grabs her by the hair and repeatedly attacks her as bystanders try to step in and help.
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.
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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.
Verb
-
Tired of living in Cinderella’s shadow, Lilith steals the Fairy Godmother’s (Bette Midler) magic wand and hijacks the Royal Ball with her sister, Margot (Stephanie Hsu).
-
Zidane steals the show France had been considered also-rans in the tournament, always falling short despite spectacular individual performances from players such as Just Fontaine and Michel Platini in previous editions.
Verb
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Damage from the campaign has been felt most acutely in Crimea, the four regions Russia occupies in Ukraine, the areas that border Ukraine, and, perhaps most notably, Moscow.
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Booking Office 1869 occupies the old ticket hall and the hotel also contains a spa and indoor pool.
Verb
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The bill appropriates $495 million for fiscal years 2026 through 2030.
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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.
Cite this Entry
“Commandeers.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeers. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
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