confiscate
1 of 2adjective
con·fis·cate ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt 
kən-ˈfi-skət
kən-ˈfi-skət 1
: appropriated by the government : forfeited
2
: deprived of property by confiscation
confiscate
2 of 2verb
con·fis·cate ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt
confiscated; confiscating
transitive verb
1
: to seize as forfeited to the public treasury
2
: to seize by or as if by authority
confiscation
ˌkän-fə-ˈskā-shən
noun confiscator
ˈkän-fə-ˌskā-tər
noun confiscatory
kən-ˈfi-skə-ˌtȯr-ē
adjective 
Synonyms
Verb
- attach
- expropriate
- sequester
See all Synonyms & Antonyms 
Example Sentences
Verb Guards confiscated knives and other weapons from the prisoners. The teacher confiscated all cell phones for the duration of the field trip.
Recent Examples on the Web
Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 Some observers took photos, which the police did their best to confiscate. Greg Daugherty, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Aug. 2022 Highland Park police investigated an allegation that Crimo, now 21, threatened people at his house, and officers were concerned enough to confiscate knives, a dagger and a sword. John Keilman, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2022 The man admitted that a firearm was in his truck but initially refused to give police permission to confiscate the weapon. Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 9 June 2022 The suspect was detained after a group of churchgoers were able to hogtie his legs with an extension cord and confiscate at least two handguns from him, Hallock said. Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 16 May 2022 On his show, Jones speculated that the government allowed the massacre to happen to push anti-hate laws and confiscate guns. Amanda J. Crawford, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2022 The Ukrainian chief prosecutor’s office last week asked Ankara to detain the Zhibek Zholy and confiscate its cargo of about 7,000 tons of grain. Bloomberg.com, 7 July 2022 While Taylor and her then-husband, actor Richard Burton, were filming on location in Mexico in the 1960s, Burton sent his bodyguards after Mr. Galella to rough him up and confiscate his film. Washington Post, 5 May 2022 See More
Verb
Bonta said Thursday that his office is overseeing $10 million in grants to sheriffs to help confiscate those guns, but those efforts are like spitting on a forest fire. Anita Chabria, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2022 Some observers took photos, which the police did their best to confiscate. Greg Daugherty, Smithsonian Magazine, 16 Aug. 2022 Highland Park police investigated an allegation that Crimo, now 21, threatened people at his house, and officers were concerned enough to confiscate knives, a dagger and a sword. John Keilman, Chicago Tribune, 15 Aug. 2022 The man admitted that a firearm was in his truck but initially refused to give police permission to confiscate the weapon. Bob Sandrick, cleveland, 9 June 2022 The suspect was detained after a group of churchgoers were able to hogtie his legs with an extension cord and confiscate at least two handguns from him, Hallock said. Alexandra Meeks, CNN, 16 May 2022 On his show, Jones speculated that the government allowed the massacre to happen to push anti-hate laws and confiscate guns. Amanda J. Crawford, BostonGlobe.com, 17 Aug. 2022 The Ukrainian chief prosecutor’s office last week asked Ankara to detain the Zhibek Zholy and confiscate its cargo of about 7,000 tons of grain. Bloomberg.com, 7 July 2022 While Taylor and her then-husband, actor Richard Burton, were filming on location in Mexico in the 1960s, Burton sent his bodyguards after Mr. Galella to rough him up and confiscate his film. Washington Post, 5 May 2022 See More Word History
Etymology
Adjective
Latin confiscatus, past participle of confiscare to confiscate, from com- + fiscus treasury
First Known Use
Adjective
circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Verb
1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1
Kids Definition
confiscate
verb
con·fis·cate ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt
confiscated; confiscating
: to seize by or as if by public authority
Police confiscated the stolen car.
Legal Definition
confiscate
transitive verb
con·fis·cate ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt
confiscated; confiscating
: to seize without compensation as forfeited to the public treasury compare criminal forfeiture
Note: Illegal items such as narcotics or firearms, or profits from the sale of illegal items, may be confiscated by law enforcement officers. Additionally, government action that reduces the value of property to a person or entity as to make it nearly worthless has been held to constitute confiscation. Examples of such government action include the passage of zoning laws that prevent the use of land for its designated purpose and the setting of utility rates so low that the utility company cannot realize a reasonable return on its investment.
confiscation
noun
as in expropriation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
- expropriation
- repossession
- annexation
- seizure
- usurpation
- takeover
- impoundment
- sequestration
- embezzlement
- theft
- grab
- misuse
- preemption
- looting
- appropriation
- misappropriation
- arrogation
- assumption
- peculation
- misapplication
- infringement
- commandeering
- defalcation
- pillaging
- invasion
- encroachment
- piracy
- attachment
- despoilment
- detainer
- occupancy
- occupation
- stripping
- ejection
- dispossession
- trespass
- preoccupancy
- disfurnishment
- deforcement
- hanging head
- hanging in
- hanging in there
- hanging indention
- hanging it up
- hanging keel
- hanging lie
- hanging lobster claw
- hanging lobster claws
- hanging loose
- hanging moss
- hanging off
- hanging on
- hanging on to
- hanging one on
- hanging out
- hanging over
- hanging paper
- hanging participle
- hanging post
- hanging rail
- hanging side
- hanging sleeve
- hanging stairs
- hanging stile