variants
also highjacking
as in kidnaping
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal
a country in which hijackings of foreign executives has become commonplace
Synonyms & Similar Words
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variants
also highjacking
as in commandeering
to take control of (a vehicle) by force
some loser tried to hijack the plane with a toy gun
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of hijacking
Nick Miller, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
This prevents session hijacking if the system keeps tokens cached.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Adopt phishing-resistant methods to prevent hijacking.
—Austin Gadient, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The gang runs a lucrative side business hijacking trucks of electronic devices — in this case, combination DVD/VHS players.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2025
One chain, used in attacks targeting a specific organization, executed a malicious DLL file hidden in an archive using a method known as COM hijacking that caused it to be executed by certain apps such as Microsoft Edge.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2025
Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2025
In fact, because hijacking passenger planes was common in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amended their safety regulations in 1972 and started requiring large passenger aircraft exits to be designed so that they can’t be opened during flight.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2025
Scammers can intercept security codes and log in to your account by hijacking your phone number or infecting your device.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Noun
The hijacking of the sport and the community institutions that built it, by noxious forces using it for their own means.
—Nick Miller, New York Times, 24 Sep. 2025
This prevents session hijacking if the system keeps tokens cached.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 22 Sep. 2025
Adopt phishing-resistant methods to prevent hijacking.
—Austin Gadient, Forbes.com, 17 Sep. 2025
The gang runs a lucrative side business hijacking trucks of electronic devices — in this case, combination DVD/VHS players.
—Declan Gallagher, EW.com, 18 Aug. 2025
One chain, used in attacks targeting a specific organization, executed a malicious DLL file hidden in an archive using a method known as COM hijacking that caused it to be executed by certain apps such as Microsoft Edge.
—Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 12 Aug. 2025
Verb
The hacker’s malware focuses on stealing cryptocurrency by hijacking and manipulating the user's browser.
—Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 8 Sep. 2025
In fact, because hijacking passenger planes was common in the late ‘60s and early ‘70s, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) amended their safety regulations in 1972 and started requiring large passenger aircraft exits to be designed so that they can’t be opened during flight.
—Katie Jackson, Travel + Leisure, 17 Aug. 2025
Scammers can intercept security codes and log in to your account by hijacking your phone number or infecting your device.
—Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 13 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hijacking
Verb
-
Now, Samsung is commandeering some of the screens already set up in homes to display ads.—
Scharon Harding,
ArsTechnica,
18 Sep. 2025
-
Trump declared a crime emergency earlier in August, and his administration deployed federal law enforcement agencies and National Guard members to the District, giving them unprecedented authority to patrol its streets while also commandeering the Metropolitan Police force.—
Josh Meyer,
USA Today,
27 Aug. 2025
Noun
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There’s something about kidnapping that scares the fear out of you, Goldberg-Polin says.—
Romina Ruiz-Goiriena,
USA Today,
4 Oct. 2025
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How a squad had burst into that house, taken away the adults, and left the children behind, all witnesses to the kidnapping.—
Mariana Enriquez
October 2,
Literary Hub,
2 Oct. 2025
Verb
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Metropolitan Police officers are also said to have raided Clarke’s home, seizing items including laptops and documents.—
Jake Kanter,
Deadline,
26 Sep. 2025
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Governments worldwide are already seizing the opportunity to attract skilled workers to their countries.—
Priyanka Salve,
CNBC,
25 Sep. 2025
Noun
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Armas’ abduction is one of dozens detailed in the United Nations Fact-Finding Mission’s 2025 report on Venezuela.—
Antonio María Delgado,
Miami Herald,
23 Sep. 2025
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Now spreading to other Blue states and cities, the LA abductions saw heavy protests in DTLA and Trump federalizing the state’s National Guard and hundreds of Marines to clampdown.—
Dominic Patten,
Deadline,
20 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hijacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hijacking. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.
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