Definitions
01to seize a vehicle
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to take control of a plane, ship, or truck by force while it is moving.
v. to forcibly seize control of a vehicle in transit, typically an aircraft, ship, or truck, for robbery or political purposes.
“The criminals tried to hijack the truck to steal the expensive electronics inside.”
“Security protocols were significantly tightened after the attempt to hijack the commercial flight was thwarted by the crew.”
Synonyms
02to take over a process
B2 · Upper Intermediate
v. to take control of a meeting or a conversation and change the topic to what you want to talk about.
v. to seize control of a process, resource, or discussion to achieve a purpose other than the original intent.
“He tried to hijack the meeting to talk about his own project instead.”
“The activist group was accused of attempting to hijack the public forum to promote their specific political agenda.”
Synonyms
03an act of seizure
B2 · Upper Intermediate Countable noun
n. an event where someone takes control of a vehicle or a process by force.
n. an instance of illegal seizure of a vehicle or the redirection of a process.
“The news reported a daring hijack of a cargo ship in the ocean.”
“The failed hijack resulted in a tense standoff between the authorities and the suspects at the airport perimeter.”
04poker position
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Slang · Technical
n. in the game of poker, the seat two places to the left of the dealer.
n. the position two seats to the right of the button (dealer), situated between the cutoff and the lojack.
“He decided to raise his bet because he was sitting in the hijack.”
“Aggressive players often use the hijack position to steal the blinds before the action reaches the button.”
Synonyms
Usage
The verb is transitive and requires a direct object, such as a vehicle, a meeting, or a process.
Pitfall
The plane was hijack by terrorists.
The plane was hijacked by terrorists.
Learners often forget the '-ed' ending when using the word in the passive voice.
Real-World Examples
“Yemen’s coast guard said on Saturday that the M/T EUREKA oil tanker had been hijacked off the coast of Shabwa province by unidentified armed men who boarded the vessel, seized control and steered it towards the Gulf of Aden in the direction of Somali waters.” “Somali pirates have hijacked an oil tanker off the coast of Yemen, according to multiple Somali security officials that spoke with the BBC.” “The plane was hijacked at about 0330 GMT while over northern Italy, Grangean said.” “Pirates hijacked the Greek-operated cargo ship MV Lugela off Somalia shortly after it transited through the Gulf of Aden on Monday , the European Union's anti-piracy taskforce and a maritime official said.” Etymology
Possibly from a blend of highway + jacker (“one who holds up”) (1915).
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
VERB
NOUN
Domain
- 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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QR code
englishreference.com/q/hijack
「カタカナ語」 data: JMdict (EDRDG), CC BY-SA 4.0