confiscatory

American  

[kuhn-fis-kuh-tawr-ee, -tohr-ee] / kənˈfɪs kəˌtɔr i, -ˌtoʊr i /

adjective

1. characterized by, effecting, or resulting in confiscation.

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confiscatory British  

/ kənˈfɪskətərɪ, -trɪ /

adjective

1. involving confiscation

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Other Word Forms

• unconfiscatory adjective

Etymology

Origin of confiscatory

First recorded in 1790–1800; confiscate + -ory ¹

Example Sentences

It is a fitting occasion to recall how George Harrison, railing against Britain’s confiscatory tax regime, unwittingly helped create the template for this market.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 20, 2026

They argue it is confiscatory and violates the regional government's autonomy, according to a lawyer's draft for the appeal seen by Reuters.

From Reuters • May 17, 2023

Billionaire Peter Thiel, a founder of PayPal, has publicly condemned "confiscatory taxes."

From Salon • Jun. 25, 2021

By any measure, this extended lack of vehicle activity has translated into a significant boost to insurers’ bottom lines, bordering on the confiscatory, primarily due to that dramatic dip in accident claims.

From Washington Times • Apr. 16, 2021

A strike and its demands are usually praised as being law-abiding, or economically bearable, or are condemned as being unlawful, or confiscatory.

From An American Idyll The Life of Carleton H. Parker by Parker, Cornelia Stratton