Definition of confiscatenext
as in to seize
to take ownership or control of (something) by right of one's authority anything that might be used as a weapon will be confiscated by the security guards

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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 confiscate Large swaths of the film are composed of close-ups of people’s faces or hands, giving seemingly mundane exchanges and gestures — say, a moment when Evans, unimpressed with Holmes’s egg-whisking technique, confiscates the bowl — greater weight. — Alex Barasch, Vulture, 19 Oct. 2026 Since the story blew up, the warden ordered at least two raids to confiscate anything brought in illegally, TMZ adds. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 19 Oct. 2026 Police confiscated the robot and two cell phones belonging to the suspects. — Escher Walcott, PEOPLE, 14 Oct. 2026 Walker says another goal is getting confiscated turtles back to the wild, but as Kung notes, smugglers commingle different turtles, spreading diseases that must be kept out of wild populations. — Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 12 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confiscate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for confiscate
Verb
  • Experts worry federal law enforcement could potentially use those false claims — or others generated this year — as pretext to try to seize ballots during the counting period, or interfere in the process in some other way.
    — Miles Parks, NPR, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Those weaknesses could enable cybercriminals to seize control of unprotected website servers, install malware, pilfer customer data and even take sites down completely.
    — Megan Cerullo, CBS News, 22 Oct. 2026
Verb
  • To be sure, Devin Kay of Douglas Elliman told Fox Business recognizable names tend to get attached to blockbuster deals when a buyer’s identity is hidden.
    — Sydney Lake, Fortune, 22 Oct. 2026
  • Instead, studios seem to be picking works that come with a hungry audience attached but can still exist independent of their roots.
    — Emily Maskell, IndieWire, 22 Oct. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confiscate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/confiscate. Accessed 28 Oct. 2026.

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster