Word
confiscate
Phoneticscon·fis·cate, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈkɑnfəˌskeɪt/
UK/kˈɒnfɪskˌeɪt/
Definition
v. to take something away from someone using your power or authority.
v. to seize private property by authority, often as a legal penalty or for security reasons. Transitive — requires a direct object.
Examples
“The teacher will confiscate your phone.”
“Customs officials can confiscate any undeclared goods they find in your luggage.”
“Under the new legislation, the state has the power to confiscate assets acquired through criminal activities, even before a conviction is secured.”
Examples
simple
“The teacher will confiscate your phone.”
contextual
“Customs officials can confiscate any undeclared goods they find in your luggage.”
complex
“Under the new legislation, the state has the power to confiscate assets acquired through criminal activities, even before a conviction is secured.”
Usage
The verb is transitive and takes a direct object (the item seized). The preposition 'from' is often used to introduce the person whose property is taken.
Real-World Examples
“It added that it had detained one Israeli and confiscated equipment on the outskirts of the Qusra and Jalud areas, near Nablus.” “Photograph: Laura Bennetto “He was aware that his diaries could have been confiscated,” said the notebooks’ co-editor Mark Nixon, a professor of modern literature and Beckett studies at the University of Reading.” Etymology
From Latin cōnfiscātus, past participle of cōnfiscō, “to seize for the public treasury”, the treasury in question being the fiscus, Imperial Rome’s money-chest.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Synonyms
Antonyms
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B2 FirstIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.5.5–6.5TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 4.0–4.572–94TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.785–944
- Frequency
- Occasional
- Level
- B2 · Upper Intermediate
- Updated
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