ENGLISH
REFERENCE

hijack

v.
B2 Upper Intermediate US //ˈhaɪˌdʒæk// UK //hˈaɪdʒæk// hi·jack Archaic Slang

v. to take control of something by force, like a plane or a vehicle. You can also use it when someone takes over a conversation or a meeting to talk about their own ideas.

v. to seize control of a vehicle or aircraft in transit by force; by extension, to take over a process or conversation to redirect it toward one's own agenda.


SIMPLE

He tried to hijack the meeting to talk about his own project.

CONTEXTUAL

The protesters attempted to hijack the press conference to ensure their demands were heard by the national media.

COMPLEX

In the digital age, malicious actors may hijack a user's social media account to spread misinformation or harvest personal data from their contacts.

Synonyms
Origin

Possibly from a blend of highway + jacker (“one who holds up”) (1915).

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.

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