commandeer

American  

[kom-uhn-deer] / ˌkɒm ənˈdɪər /

verb (used with object)

• commandeers,
  present (3rd person singular)
• commandeered,
  past participle,  past
• commandeering
  present participle

1. to order or force into active military service.

2. to seize (private property) for military or other public use.

   The police officer commandeered a taxi and took off after the getaway car.

3. to seize arbitrarily.

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commandeer British  

/ ˌkɒmənˈdɪə /

verb

1. to seize for public or military use

2. to seize arbitrarily

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Other Word Forms

Inflected Forms

Participles

• commandeering
  present
• commandeered
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• commandeer
  simple
• commandeers
  simple
• have commandeered
  perfect
• has commandeered
  perfect
• am commandeering
  progressive
• are commandeering
  progressive
• is commandeering
  progressive
• have been commandeering
  perfect progressive
• has been commandeering
  perfect progressive

Past

• commandeered
  simple
• had commandeered
  perfect
• was commandeering
  progressive
• were commandeering
  progressive
• had been commandeering
  perfect progressive

Future

• will commandeer
  simple
• will have commandeered
  perfect
• will be commandeering
  progressive
• will have been commandeering
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of commandeer

1880–85; < Afrikaans kommandeer < French commander to command

Explanation

What is that person doing, interrupting everyone and changing the subject every minute? He is trying to commandeer, or take control, of the conversation. You can probably tell from the look of the word that commandeer is somehow related to commander in meaning. A commander is someone who is officially in charge, giving orders and making decisions for a group such as a nation or a military. Many groups don't have a commander, but this doesn't stop some people from trying to take charge. If you commandeer something — whether it's a car or a conversation — you use force to try to take over.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

commandeer commandeers commandeered commandeering

"I was traveling home by train," recalls Passaleva, "and all of a sudden I was rushing against time to commandeer one of the largest telescopes in the world from my laptop."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 30, 2026

It added that the use of robots made outside the US could allow "malign actors to surveil Americans, enhance the capabilities of foreign intelligence services, or to remotely commandeer the robots."

From BBC ● Jul. 29, 2026

He’s hoping to commandeer another part of their basement, one currently reserved for their cats.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025

You took a computer at a place where you commandeer visually several screens at once, and you had also the ability to turn the TV you were watching pretty readily.

From Slate ● Sep. 18, 2024

‘He wants to commandeer Goblin for his Colonel.’

From "Johnny Tremain" by Esther Hoskins Forbes

When replicating, the virus essentially commandeers the molecular factory of the cell to make lots of copies of itself, then breaks out of the cell to set the new copies free.

From Salon ● Nov. 9, 2023

Guitarist Katie Henderson commandeers a laptop from their sound engineer, swipes through two dozen menus and recalibrates the backing track.

From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2023

Her teenage daughter, Roshni, commandeers it when she has homework to do.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 27, 2023

It’s the son, and he commandeers the ball because it’s his court now.

From Washington Post ● Oct. 21, 2022

Kruger, President S. J. P., ultimatum of, 1; commandeers his burghers, 34; designs of, 48; telegraphs to Botha to hold on to Hlangwhane, 343; to President Steyn to commandeer everyone in annexed districts, 382.

From History of the War in South Africa 1899-1902 v. 1 (of 4) Compiled by Direction of His Majesty's Government by Great Britain. War Office

I smiled and left the courthouse bouncing up and down as I contacted my editor in D.C. to let him know I’d commandeered a golden quote.

From Slate ● Aug. 20, 2026

Sure enough, the next day Colbert commandeered an episode of “Only in Monroe,” the same Michigan-based public access program he hosted in 2015 before his “Late Show” debut.

From Salon ● May 29, 2026

It climbs either side of a valley created by the River Esk, as it joins the port where whalers once launched and Captain Cook first commandeered the HMS Endeavour.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 14, 2026

Navy, and they haven’t, sparing the U.S. the hassle of managing commandeered vessels and their crews, or any confrontations with semi-friendly powers like China or India.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 17, 2026

I lead him into Dain’s office, which I guess I’ve just commandeered for my own.

From "The Cruel Prince" by Holly Black

He was known for regularly ambling by and commandeering these tour groups to show off whatever latest project he had going or demonstrate the precise and persnickety method he’d perfected for planting a tree.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Feb. 4, 2026

Some complained about homeless people commandeering shared public spaces.

From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 9, 2025

With captain Jamie George and up-and-comer Theo Dan commandeering the number two jersey of late, he faces a battle to force his way into the 23-man squad.

From BBC ● Oct. 26, 2024

Foster needs to sell season tickets, but campus needs to stop commandeering the concession revenue from basketball games in Pauley Pavilion.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 12, 2024

Bo says nothing about me commandeering his radio.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

Related Words

• confiscate
• hijack