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

His ability to commandeer models into his personal life, spells of inebriation, and his openly gay lifestyle were well known throughout the industry. —Mayu Saini, WWD, 3 Nov. 2024

The plot centers on thousands of impoverished Indian farmers who commandeer a fleet and sail, dirty, uncivilized and desperate, to France, where a small resistance is all that stands in the way from their overrunning the country. —Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica, 19 Oct. 2024

Domestic production offers an additional assurance because such manufacturers can be commandeered under the 1950 Defense Production Act to supply items in a time of war. —David Faris, Newsweek, 4 Nov. 2024

People, surely from out of town, are walking like a chorus line, commandeering the entire sidewalk, forcing me to weave around and step onto the street to pass. —Hannah Towey, Condé Nast Traveler, 1 Nov. 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

Kids Definition

commandeer

verb

com·​man·​deer ˌkäm-ən-ˈdi(ə)r 

: to take possession of by force especially for military purposes