hijack

American  

[hahy-jak] / ˈhaɪˌdʒæk /

Or highjack

verb (used with object)

1. to steal (cargo) from a truck or other vehicle after forcing it to stop.

   to hijack a load of whiskey.

2. to rob (a vehicle) after forcing it to stop.

   They hijacked the truck before it entered the city.

3. to seize (a vehicle) by force or threat of force.

4. to skyjack.

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verb (used without object)

1. to engage in such stealing or seizing.

noun

1. an act or instance of hijacking.

hijack British  

/ ˈhaɪˌdʒæk /

verb

1. (tr) to seize, divert, or appropriate (a vehicle or the goods it carries) while in transit

   to hijack an aircraft

2. to rob (a person or vehicle) by force

   to hijack a traveller

3. (esp in the US during Prohibition) to rob (a bootlegger or smuggler) of his illicit goods or to steal (illicit goods) in transit

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noun

1. the act or an instance of hijacking

Other Word Forms

• antihijack adjective
• hijacker noun

Etymology

Origin of hijack

An Americanism dating back to 1920–25; back formation from hijacker

Example Sentences

But the system has been hijacked by plaintiff lawyers, who file dozens of lawsuits each year against America’s largest and best-run retirement plans.

From The Wall Street Journal

Coordinated attacks via networks of hijacked devices, used to overwhelm systems, also more than doubled in 2025 and are becoming more common thanks to services available for hire.

From Barron's

As with social media, it appears we have created in AI a compelling technology that hijacks instincts that are essential to our survival.

From The Wall Street Journal

Instead, they reveal how an aggressive campaign could hijack online votes.

From Salon

When the market’s directional trend is hijacked by forces that marginalize financial metrics like corporate earnings growth and profit margins, it’s more significant than merely investor sentiment souring.

From Barron's

Related Words

• carjack
• commandeer
• kidnap
• steal