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.
The authorities are confiscating families’ properties, or setting such high bail for arrested family members that people are forced to sell their possessions, she said.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 22, 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
Following the natural disaster, local law enforcement was assigned the task of confiscating guns, many of which officers say were stolen or found in abandoned homes.
From Salon ● Dec. 30, 2025
It follows officers confiscating his passport over the weekend after he attempted to attend the funeral of Kenyan politician Raila Odinga in the neighbouring country.
From Barron's ● Oct. 22, 2025
They were confiscating the two vehicles registered under a prisoner’s name.
From "In the Time of the Butterflies" by Julia Alvarez
