hijacking 1 of 2

variants also highjacking
Definition of hijackingnext
as in kidnapping
the unlawful or forcible carrying away of a person or animal a country in which hijackings of foreign executives has become commonplace

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hijacking

2 of 2

verb

variants also highjacking
present participle of hijack
as in commandeering
to take control of (a vehicle) by force some loser tried to hijack the plane with a toy gun

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Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of hijacking
Noun
Nothing too extreme thus far — no darkness retreat, ayahuasca journey or draft-night hijacking — but still, enough to make the Steelers feel just a bit uneasy. Michael Silver, New York Times, 12 May 2026 The hijacking of humanitarian aid convoys by Hamas and armed gangs prevented the civilian population from receiving food and medicines. Voice Of The People, New York Daily News, 10 May 2026 This is the second hijacking incident in less than a week; on Wednesday an oil tanker was seized in waters off Puntland. ABC News, 27 Apr. 2026 Starting on June 15, 2026, sites using back button hijacking could be hit with either automated or manual anti-spam actions. ArsTechnica, 14 Apr. 2026 Several actual terror attacks against India are featured in the plot; these include the 1999 hijacking of Indian Airlines flight 814, the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, and the 2008 attacks across multiple landmarks in Mumbai. Gitanjali Roy, Encyclopedia Britannica, 30 Mar. 2026 The hijacking sparked a dramatic police chase that ended in a rush-hour shootout when the truck became stuck in traffic on the busy Miramar Parkway. Cbs Miami Team, CBS News, 23 Mar. 2026 The role of Israel’s hijacking of Iran’s street cameras in the killing of the country’s supreme leader underscores how surveillance systems are increasingly being targeted by adversaries in wartime. Dake Kang, Los Angeles Times, 23 Mar. 2026
Verb
Advertisement Even with the right cast and script, this storyline could have been ruinous, its big personalities and B-movie chic and naked boobs with the word boobs scrolled across them hijacking the more crucial but less flashy family arc. Judy Berman, Time, 15 Apr. 2026 Nicky’s sister Portia (Gus Birney) seems intent on hijacking the wedding, spearheading everything from food to decor. Alison Herman, Variety, 26 Mar. 2026 In the 1960s, the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine and then the Palestine Liberation Organization began hijacking international flights. Joshua M. Davidson, New York Daily News, 22 Mar. 2026 In December, security researchers also spotted evidence that the creators of Aisuru were behind a new botnet called Kimwolf that’s been hijacking Android TV boxes. Michael Kan, PC Magazine, 20 Mar. 2026 European Union leaders on Thursday lashed out at Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán, accusing him of hijacking critical aid for Ukraine and undermining EU decision-making in an effort to win an election at home. ABC News, 19 Mar. 2026 Twin fuel crises sparked panic buying, hoarding and violence as Americans resorted to desperate measures including siphoning, theft and even hijacking tanker trucks. Patt Morrison, Los Angeles Times, 18 Mar. 2026 The goal is to stop scammers from hijacking accounts through tricks like fake talent competitions or misleading QR codes. Alexei Oreskovic, Fortune, 12 Mar. 2026 The Pentagon does not want hostile forces hijacking these robotic freighters. Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 2 Mar. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for hijacking
Noun
  • The case of Sherri Papini, the young woman who shocked the nation with a multi-year kidnapping hoax, has been the subject of multiple documentaries since her conviction in 2022.
    Mary Walrath-Holdridge, USA Today, 15 May 2026
  • Federal authorities describe TdA as a sprawling transnational organization involved in drug trafficking, human trafficking, extortion, kidnapping, and killings across Latin America and increasingly inside the United States.
    Kaelan Deese, The Washington Examiner, 15 May 2026
Verb
  • Imagine, then, commandeering a private plane for the ultimate two-week adventure entirely on your own terms.
    Mark Ellwood, Robb Report, 28 Apr. 2026
  • Although this year’s edition of the Oscars, which aired on ABC on March 15, was hardly in the class of the 1972 installment, there was at least one moment that recalled Johnson’s witty, graceful sendup of stars commandeering the ceremony to climb atop their soapbox.
    Peter Tonguette, The Washington Examiner, 20 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • The Arizona sheriff leading local investigative efforts in the apparent abduction of 84-year-old Nancy Guthrie has shared an update on how much communication is happening between law enforcement and Savannah Guthrie's family.
    KiMi Robinson, USA Today, 18 May 2026
  • Last year, two mass abductions from schools rocked the nation, with over 300 children taken in the northern region.
    ABC News, ABC News, 17 May 2026
Verb
  • The laws, which her party backed in recent years, eliminated preliminary detention in certain cases and raised the threshold for seizing criminal assets.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 16 May 2026
  • Hollander plays a vicious Irish mobster hell bent on seizing the palatial estate Reno has dedicated his life to protect after its heir runs afoul of his compatriots abroad.
    Leo Barraclough, Variety, 16 May 2026
Noun
  • The Married at First Sight franchise has been left reeling by allegations of rape from a group of ex-contestants in a new BBC Panorama investigation.
    Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 19 May 2026
  • The series will include guests such as Gisèle Pelicot, the French woman who waived her right to anonymity in one of the most horrifying rape cases in history to stand in solidarity with fellow victims.
    Jesse Whittock, Deadline, 19 May 2026

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“Hijacking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/hijacking. Accessed 20 May. 2026.

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