as in takeover
the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority
the Spanish navy's commandeering of fishing boats and impressment of fishermen
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
1
as in hijacking
to take control of (a vehicle) by force
an airliner commandeered by terrorists
Synonyms & Similar Words
2
as in seizing
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of commandeering
Michael Franco, New Atlas, 14 Dec. 2024
She was accused of commandeering a car owned by a neighbor and former friend and then driving it into the woman, according to court papers.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Rita Ora once again returns as co-host alongside Seacrest, who’s marking his 20th year commandeering the holiday staple.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
Companies got creative when shipping costs skyrocketed, placing orders directly with factories to cut out intermediaries or commandeering their own container ships and planes to ensure timely delivery.
—Shannon K. O'Neil, Foreign Affairs, 21 Dec. 2021
Verb
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
She was accused of commandeering a car owned by a neighbor and former friend and then driving it into the woman, according to court papers.
—Noah Goldberg, Los Angeles Times, 11 Dec. 2024
Rita Ora once again returns as co-host alongside Seacrest, who’s marking his 20th year commandeering the holiday staple.
—Karu F. Daniels, New York Daily News, 10 Dec. 2024
Companies got creative when shipping costs skyrocketed, placing orders directly with factories to cut out intermediaries or commandeering their own container ships and planes to ensure timely delivery.
—Shannon K. O'Neil, Foreign Affairs, 21 Dec. 2021
Recent Examples of Synonyms for commandeering
Noun
-
Min Aung Hlaing and senior members of his government are shunned and sanctioned by many Western countries for their 2021 takeover and human rights abuses.—
Grant Peck,
Chicago Tribune,
5 Apr. 2025
-
That’s primarily because Lancia models were expensive and rarely seen in the U.S. throughout the five decades before the automaker was acquired by Fiat in 1969, an acquisition that followed some challenging years prior to the takeover that saved the Italian manufacturer from extinction.—
Robert Ross,
Robb Report,
4 Apr. 2025
Verb
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Pretending to be dead, Gi-hun and his friends launch a surprise attack, overpowering the guards and seizing their weapons, leaving only one guard alive.—
Monica Mercuri,
Forbes,
28 Dec. 2024
-
The Democratic People's Republic of Korea's (DPRK) forces have since received training by Russian forces in the Far East and first engaged in combat with Ukrainian military in November, subsequently seizing their first village in Kursk, Plekhovo, earlier this month.—
Josh Hammer,
Newsweek,
23 Dec. 2024
Noun
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The egg seizures are outpacing border officials' interception of fentanyl.—
Brittney Melton,
NPR,
28 Mar. 2025
-
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
Noun
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Germain emphasized that while fraud in the program was rare, the layoffs left states with no federal oversight, raising questions about how funds will be managed when the current appropriation expires in September.—
Jason D. Greenblatt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Apr. 2025
-
In 1974, after President Richard Nixon refused to spend money as directed by appropriations laws, Congress passed the Impoundment Control Act to clarify that no President can unilaterally withhold such funds.—
David D. Kirkpatrick,
New Yorker,
31 Mar. 2025
Verb
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Allen — who has steadily received more playing time as the season has progressed based on his defense but has also shown flashes offensively and has displayed solid free-throw shooting — played the best of the bunch, scoring nine points in 22 minutes of play and grabbing five rebounds.—
Grant Salsman,
Kansas City Star,
5 Jan. 2025
-
The monkey, perched on a high ledge, has stolen the man's spectacles — by jumping on the man's shoulder and grabbing them.—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
5 Jan. 2025
Verb
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Unfortunately, mid-rehearsal, their mother, Rose (an absolutely magnificent McDonald), comes thundering onto the stage, usurping Jocko’s leadership and sucking up all of the air into the room.—
Aramide Tinubu,
Variety,
20 Dec. 2024
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For instance, one of his first actions was to fund the Al-Jazeera Arabic satellite television station, allowing Qatar to set the agenda on TV screens from Casablanca to Cairo, usurping the role once played by state information ministries.—
Allen Fromherz / Made by History,
TIME,
30 Sep. 2024
Verb
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Following Assad’s fall, Israel has expanded its presence beyond the Golan Heights, occupying areas deeper inside Syria and justifying the move by citing security concerns.—
Hamidreza Azizi,
Foreign Affairs,
23 Dec. 2024
-
While landfills may not emit hazardous compounds, non-biodegradable debris is occupying more and more space.—
Ariel Cohen,
Forbes,
23 Dec. 2024
Cite this Entry
“Commandeering.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/commandeering. Accessed 10 Apr. 2025.
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