confiscation
Americannoun
-
the act, as a penalty, of seizing or appropriating something for public use or for ownership by the state.
The government introduced a bill allowing the confiscation of property belonging to foreign states.
-
the act of seizing something by or as if by authority.
In order to avoid confiscation of their cell phones under the strict new rule, many teens only became more secretive about using them.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of confiscation
First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin cōnfiscātiōn-, stem of cōnfiscātiō “seizure,” from cōnfiscāt(us) “seized” (past participle of cōnfiscāre “to seize for the public treasury”; see confiscate ( def. )) + -iō -ion ( def. )
Vocabulary lists containing confiscation
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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.
They were both made subject of Confiscation Orders at the High Court in Edinburgh.
From BBC • Aug. 20, 2021
In 1862, during the Civil War, Congress approved the Second Confiscation Act, which declared that all slaves taking refuge behind Union lines were to be set free.
From Washington Times • Jul. 17, 2020
Confiscation, she said, was never on the agenda.
From New York Times • Apr. 29, 2018
Butler paid the “contrabands” for their labor, and Congress soon endorsed his policy with the First Confiscation Act, permitting the seizure of all property used for rebellion, including slaves.
From Textbooks • Jan. 18, 2018
When we get home, Dad does the Big Confiscation.
From "The Manifestor Prophecy" by Angie Thomas
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
