commandeer

verb

com·​man·​deer ˌkä-mən-ˈdir 

commandeered; commandeering; commandeers

transitive verb

1

a

: to compel to perform military service

Civilians were commandeered by the army and forced to fight.

b

: to seize for military purposes

The soldiers commandeered civilian vehicles to help transport the injured.

2

: to take arbitrary or forcible possession of

The city commandeered 60 acres of the property by eminent domain for a new high school.

Did you know?

Military forces have always had the power to commandeer houses. The Declaration of Independence complains about the way the British soldiers have done it, and the third Amendment to the Constitution states that the commandeering of people's houses shall be done only in a way prescribed by law. Almost anything—food, supplies, livestock, etc.—can be militarily commandeered when the need arises. But you don't have to be in the military for someone to "pull rank" on you: Your father may commandeer the car just when you were about to take it out for the evening, your teacher may commandeer your cell phone as you're texting in the middle of class, or your older sister may commandeer the TV remote to watch some lousy dancing competition.

Synonyms

• hijack
• highjack

Examples of commandeer in a Sentence

The soldiers commandeered civilian vehicles to help transport the injured.

an airliner commandeered by terrorists

Recent Examples on the Web

In a more futuristic vein, the response to climate warming will create new technologies, some of them in the realm of geo-engineering which may be able to alter the effects of climate damage, but that might also be commandeered for harm. —Mike O'Sullivan, Forbes, 21 Mar. 2025

To celebrate the launch of the online store, Orbi will commandeer the Sphere’s Instagram on Thursday (@SphereVegas) and will answer fan questions starting at 3 p.m. ET. —Melissa Ruggieri, USA TODAY, 28 Feb. 2025

During a shareholder party, a band of radical activists commandeer the gathering in order to expose the environmental damage that’s been covered up by the corrupt company’s fraternal CEOs and their co-conspirators in attendance. —Brian Davids, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Feb. 2025

The wily Canuck was practically invisible for the first three weeks of the season, a victim of far flashier payers (cough, Rome, cough) that commandeered all the camera time. —Dalton Ross, EW.com, 12 Dec. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Afrikaans kommandeer, from French commander to command, from Old French comander

First Known Use

1881, in the meaning defined at sense 1a

Rhymes for commandeer

• auctioneer
• bandelier
• belvedere
• bombardier
• brigadier
• buccaneer
• cavalier
• chandelier
• chanticleer
• chevalier
• disappear
• engineer

Kids Definition

commandeer

verb

com·​man·​deer ˌkäm-ən-ˈdi(ə)r 

: to take possession of by force especially for military purposes