hijack

Meanings

1. 1verbtransitive

   To take control of a plane, ship or vehicle by force, usually to make it go somewhere or to demand something.

   Grammar: Takes an object: hijack a plane. The victims are vehicles, not usually people.

   Patterns

   • hijack something
   • hijack something to somewhere

   Armed men hijacked the bus and demanded to be taken to the border.

   The pirates hijacked a cargo ship off the coast.

   Police arrested a man who tried to hijack a delivery truck.

2. 2verbtransitivefigurativedisapproving

   To take over something such as a meeting, discussion or movement and use it for your own purposes.

   Grammar: A figurative use that criticizes someone for taking over: hijack a debate.

   Patterns

   • hijack something for something

   A few loud speakers hijacked the meeting and no one else could talk.

   Critics said the party had hijacked the protest for political gain.

   Don't let one issue hijack the whole conversation.

3. 3verbtransitivecomputing

   To gain unauthorized control of a computer, account or online connection.

   Grammar: Common in computing: hijack a session, hijack an account.

   Patterns

   • hijack something

   Hackers hijacked her social media account and sent spam.

   The malware hijacks your browser and redirects you to ads.

   Attackers tried to hijack the user's login session.

Word forms

Common combinations

hijack a plane

Terrorists hijacked a plane and landed it in a desert airstrip.

hijack a meeting

He tried to hijack the meeting with his own agenda.

hijack the conversation

Politics tends to hijack the conversation at family dinners.

hijack an account

Scammers hijack accounts to ask contacts for money.

attempt to hijack

The attempt to hijack the flight failed.

hijack a protest

Some groups tried to hijack the peaceful protest.

Synonyms and how they differ

commandeer

Commandeer means to take something for official or practical use, often by authority, while hijack implies illegal force or deceit.

seize

Seize is a general word for grabbing control and is used in more situations than hijack.

take over

Take over is neutral and can be fair, but hijack always suggests the takeover is unwelcome.

steal

Steal means to take something that belongs to someone else, while hijack means to take control of something while it is in use.

Word family

hijacker noun

a person who hijacks a vehicle or plane

hijacking noun

the act of seizing a vehicle or taking control illegally

hijacked adjective

taken over by force or deceit

skyjack verb

to hijack an aircraft

Commonly confused: hijack or kidnap?

Practice

Make it your own

Write a sentence using “hijack”, then check it and compare it with the examples above.

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