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
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
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 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
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
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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
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View 3 Images By commandeering smart thermostats and water heaters and sipping power from in-home EV chargers, virtual power plants are being formed across the country.—
Michael Franco,
New Atlas,
14 Dec. 2024
Noun
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Perceived risks for all travelers including terrorism, kidnapping, and disease actually occur less frequently than road injuries.—
Tanya Mohn,
Forbes.com,
7 Sep. 2025
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Eventually, the San Bernardino Sheriff's Eventually, the San Bernardino County Sheriff’s Department publicly alleged that a kidnapping had not occurred, and that Emmanuel was believed dead.—
Chris Spargo,
PEOPLE,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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The Israeli military did not immediately respond to a request for comment, but has stated that its forces are fighting militants on the outskirts of Gaza City, destroying tunnels and militant infrastructure and seizing weapons.—
Emily Rose,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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Tel Aviv — The Israeli security cabinet convened on Sunday to review plans for seizing control of Gaza City, as the government faces mounting international pressure and unprecedented domestic opposition, even from Israel’s own security leaders.—
Tal Shalev,
CNN Money,
31 Aug. 2025
Noun
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In the last episode of the show, Livingston is revealed to be the brains behind the abduction of Alex Anderson and his fellow doctors.—
Nicole Briese,
People.com,
22 Aug. 2025
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Created by Matt Charman, who previously brought to life Netflix's 2022 thriller Treason, Hostage stars Suranne Jones (Gentleman Jack) as Abigail Dalton, the British Prime Minister who's swept up in a high-stakes conspiracy following the abduction of her husband, Alex (Ashley Thomas).—
Randall Colburn,
EW.com,
22 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Hijacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hijacking. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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