variants also highjack
Definition of hijacknext
as in to commandeer
to take control of (a vehicle) by force some loser tried to hijack the plane with a toy gun

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 hijack That debate accelerated in early September after Reuters reported that OpenAI’s agents hijacked a dormant German wiki site this spring. — Harshita Mary Varghese, USA Today, 17 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 On that beautiful Tuesday morning, Islamic terrorists hijacked four commercial airplanes. — Bobby Zirkin, Baltimore Sun, 14 Sep. 2026 Morgan was a young airbus pilot for United when terrorists hijacked four planes and used them to attack the United States. — Michael Abeyta, CBS News, 12 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for hijack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hijack
Verb
  • Or commandeering a military system or nuclear power plant in pursuit of its paper clip goal.
    — Steven Zeitchik, HollywoodReporter, 25 Sep. 2026
  • In the course of three weeks, Israeli soldiers destroyed much of the area, razing schools and mosques and commandeering buildings for use as military posts.
    — Ruth Margalit, New Yorker, 19 Sep. 2026
Verb
  • The charges stemmed from fighting more than a decade ago between the predominantly Muslim Seleka rebels who seized power from then-President François Bozizé, and a mainly Christian militia called the anti-Balaka.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 24 Sep. 2026
  • Confession has also been a way for artists to seize authority from systems that preferred them silent, decorative, or safely explained.
    — Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 24 Sep. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Hijack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hijack. Accessed 29 Sep. 2026.

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