confiscate
verb (used with object)
to seize as forfeited to the public domain; appropriate, by way of penalty, for public use.
confiscating
-
present participleof confiscate.present participle
A verb form that is used in progressive verb constructions and may also function as a modifier or a gerund.
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
Across the country, government agents have been losing government documents, personal effects, medical devices, and other belongings after confiscating them, effectively turning released immigrants into legal non-persons.
From Salon ● Mar. 4, 2026
Venezuela nationalized its oil industry in 1976, confiscating foreign assets, and again in 2007, impacting companies like Exxon.
From Barron's ● Jan. 18, 2026
Over the weekend, authorities began searching for and confiscating Starlink dishes in western Tehran, said Amir Rashidi, director of digital rights and security at Miaan Group, a U.S. nonprofit opposed to internet censorship.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jan. 13, 2026
The school may use the dashboard to identify rule-breakers in the future, but for now, teachers and staff are simply confiscating phones on sight, he said.
From Los Angeles Times ● Dec. 31, 2025
She’d taken the plans from Sela as if she were confiscating acorns from a baby mouse.
From "Redwall" by Brian Jacques
