1
as in to hijack
to take control of (a vehicle) by force
an airliner commandeered by terrorists
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in to seize
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
commandeered all of the equipment, as if the chem lab belonged solely to him
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commandeer
Under the direction of Robert Wise and director-choreographer Jerome Robbins (who also commandeered the original stage production), the playgrounds and fire escapes of the Upper West Side framed an epic—and enduringly compelling—urban love story.
—
Vogue, 25 Jan. 2025
National security officials who favor a strong U.S. commitment to Taiwan frequently cite their concern that China could commandeer high-tech assets on the island.
—Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The next shift, in both the number and geographical range of piracy incidents, came around 2007, when those involved began commandeering larger boats for use in storming commercial carriers hundreds of nautical miles from the Somali coast.
—Soham Mitra, Lou Robinson and Patrick Gallagher, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
And for those weary of sharing the property, rest assured that guests are free to roam the backyard and commandeer the pool at their convenience.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Vogue, 25 Jan. 2025
National security officials who favor a strong U.S. commitment to Taiwan frequently cite their concern that China could commandeer high-tech assets on the island.
—Jennifer Kavanagh, Foreign Affairs, 25 Feb. 2025
The next shift, in both the number and geographical range of piracy incidents, came around 2007, when those involved began commandeering larger boats for use in storming commercial carriers hundreds of nautical miles from the Somali coast.
—Soham Mitra, Lou Robinson and Patrick Gallagher, CNN, 22 Feb. 2025
And for those weary of sharing the property, rest assured that guests are free to roam the backyard and commandeer the pool at their convenience.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 16 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for commandeer
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeer
Verb
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The latest clash, on March 11, appeared to mark a dramatic new level in its guerrilla and terror operations when a BLA force hijacked a train, resulting in scores of deaths.—
Karl Vick,
TIME,
25 Mar. 2025
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Nearly 3,000 people were killed on Sept. 11, 2001, after terrorists hijacked planes and flew them into the Twin Towers and the Pentagon.—
Kimberlee Speakman,
People.com,
23 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Documents show police seized the following items from Kohberger that night: four medical-style gloves, a white T-shirt, a Champion sweatshirt, a pair of size 13 Nike shoes, and black shorts, boxers and socks, all from Under Armour.—
Trevor Hughes,
USA TODAY,
22 Mar. 2025
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Late last year, a U.K. court ruled that police could seize $3.3 million worth of frozen assets from the brothers to cover years of unpaid taxes.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
22 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Investigators had confiscated more than 335 pounds of meth, nearly 9 pounds of heroin, more than 1,500 fentanyl pills and more than $150,000 during the years-long operation before Wednesday’s seizures.—
Darrell Smith,
Sacbee.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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But sneaking sausage is tame compared to these strange items confiscated by TSA.—
Lanee Lee,
Forbes,
24 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Trump and some Republican allies have attacked Boasberg, calling for his impeachment and accusing him of seeking to usurp the power of the presidency.—
Dave Goldiner,
New York Daily News,
24 Mar. 2025
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What with the original PlayStation released back in 1994 in Japan and in 1995 across the rest of the world, the mighty console that usurped both Sega and Nintendo is now three decades old.—
Ollie Barder,
Forbes,
17 Mar. 2025
Verb
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She was accused of drugging both men in their hotel rooms and stealing from them, but the charges were dismissed because the victims did not want to testify in court, Colbert's attorney for those cases, Daniel Lippmann, told The Associated Press.—
Cara Tabachnick,
CBS News,
18 Mar. 2025
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New threat intelligence has confirmed that, across 2024, a total of 3.2 billion credentials were stolen.—
Davey Winder,
Forbes,
18 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Over centuries, bacteria broke down ammonia in guano, converting it into nitrates that accumulated in cave soil.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes,
20 Mar. 2025
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Colorado’s top unit was in the middle of heading to the bench for a change, and that led to a very unexpected shorthanded 2-on-1 that Leafs forward Steven Lorentz converted at 2:53 of the final period.—
Corey Masisak,
The Denver Post,
19 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Urban Roots was the only California brewery to grab a spot on USA Today’s list of the best brewpubs in the United States.—
Camila Pedrosa,
Sacbee.com,
26 Mar. 2025
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At this point, players are ready to grab the $150 bonus or a $1,500 first bet.—
Paul Du Quenoy,
MSNBC Newsweek,
26 Mar. 2025
Verb
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School groups often occupy the facility from 9:30 a.m. to 1 p.m. weekdays, so individual guests are encouraged to come at other times.—
Olivia Brandon,
Idaho Statesman,
23 Mar. 2025
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Hopefully Octavia is back to sleep by then, Horton said, and Matthew is occupied with a quiet activity like Play-Doh or coloring.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA TODAY,
21 Mar. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Commandeer.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeer. Accessed 1 Apr. 2025.
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