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

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

From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 3, 2025

The students had gone to Iguala to commandeer buses to take them to an annual protest in Mexico City.

From BBC ● May 15, 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

Once the competition begins, gold medals and world records commandeer the headlines as television sharpens the focus with artful, carefully framed camera shots.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 15, 2024

But that is mere child’s play compared to the way personal communications devices can commandeer those systems.

From "A Deadly Wandering: A Mystery, a Landmark Investigation, and the Astonishing Science of Attention in the Digital Age" by Matt Richtel

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

“The record is clear; the Commissioner’s boarding practice commandeers space, staff and resources in the Hospitals’ emergency departments that is needed for other patients and services,” McCafferty wrote.

From Seattle Times ● Feb. 28, 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

Also, we could pursue any interest we liked without feeling that it had been commandeered by a brother or sister.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 9, 2026

Since last year, when the RSF overran parts of Darfur and Kordofan, the militia has commandeered the gum trade, integrating it into its smuggling empire and further starving government coffers.

From Los Angeles Times ● May 31, 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

Food was scarce because the soldiers had commandeered the supply house and were now rationing food out to all the villagers.

From "Finding Junie Kim" by Ellen Oh

On Isabela Island, a local sea lion known as Panchito has become famous for commandeering the loungers at Cormorant Beach House.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 13, 2026

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

As generative AI grows, the shoggoth has to be fed on user data, which companies can squeeze more cheaply from you via commandeering your consent than they can by paying you for your data.

From Salon ● Aug. 11, 2023

Bo says nothing about me commandeering his radio.

From "Dumplin'" by Julie Murphy

Related Words

• confiscate
• hijack