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

Relevance

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 And when Khomeini broke that promise, my father was one of the first to stand up to him and the extremists who hijacked that revolution. Letters To The Editor, Washington Post, 2 June 2026 Washington armed the trade ship with a few cannons, manned her with fishermen and sent her out to hijack British supply ships to help his army win the siege of Boston. Christopher Magra, The Conversation, 2 June 2026 Over the weekend, apparent pro-Iranian hackers were able to hijack the official Instagram accounts for Barack Obama’s White House, beauty product retailer Sephora and the Chief Master Sergeant for the US Space Force. Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 1 June 2026 The show includes a nightly improv section where Mindelle launches into extended tangents about everything from celebrity relationships to political scandals to whatever headline happened to hijack her brain that afternoon. Dave Quinn, PEOPLE, 29 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for hijack
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hijack
Verb
  • After raising a peace sign before boarding the coach, imposing 6ft 5in (196cm) goalkeeper Alireza Beiranvand sits on the floor at the front of the coach and commandeers the microphone.
    Adam Leventhal, New York Times, 6 June 2026
  • The concept is based upon unfussy Italian cooking with local ingredients, commandeered by a chef whose background is in looking after Italy’s most prestigious families, rather than restaurants.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 June 2026
Verb
  • The Spurs made 14 3-pointers, a Finals record for one half, to seize control of this game in a stunning display of shot-making and poise.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 11 June 2026
  • The Scarborough Shoal, known in the Philippines as Bajo de Masinloc and in China as Huangyan Dao, sits within Manila's exclusive economic zone in the South China Sea, but Beijing has maintained a near-constant presence around the shoal after seizing de facto control in a tense 2012 standoff.
    James LaPorta, CBS News, 11 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Hijack.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hijack. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on hijack

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster