confiscate

1 of 3

adjective

con·​fis·​cate ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt How to pronounce confiscate (audio) kən-ˈfi-skət How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
Synonyms of confiscate
1
: appropriated by the government : forfeited
2
: deprived of property by confiscation

confiscate

2 of 3

verb

con·​fis·​cate ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
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 How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
noun
confiscator
ˈkän-fə-ˌskā-tər How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
noun
confiscatory
kən-ˈfi-skə-ˌtȯr-ē How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
adjective

confiscator

3 of 3

noun

con·​fis·​ca·​tor ˈkän-fə-ˌskā-tər How to pronounce confiscator (audio)
plural -s
: one that confiscates

Synonyms of confiscate

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Verb

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Examples of confiscate in a Sentence

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
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Verb
Reuters — The Thai teen behind a deadly school shooting outside Bangkok had an air gun confiscated by a teacher last year and had watched violent content online, police said on Sunday, as the government promised new safety protocols for schools. — CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026 But Gale found an unlikely refuge in books that had been confiscated from the belongings of new members. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 6 Aug. 2026 When Rivas Hernandez returned home later that month, her parents confiscated her phone. — Nancy Dillon, Rolling Stone, 5 Aug. 2026 Several members hotel rooms were searched and their passports were temporarily confiscated, the post said. — Reuters, NBC news, 3 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for confiscate

Word History

Etymology

Adjective

Latin confiscatus, past participle of confiscare to confiscate, from com- + fiscus treasury

and Noun

First Known Use

Adjective

circa 1533, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Verb

1552, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of confiscate was circa 1533

Rhymes for confiscate

See All Rhymes for confiscate

Browse Nearby Words

confiscatable
confiscate
confiscation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Confiscate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/confiscate. Accessed 12 Aug. 2026.

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Kids Definition

confiscate

verb
con·​fis·​cate
ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt
confiscated; confiscating
: to seize by or as if by public authority
smuggled goods may be confiscated by the police
confiscation
ˌkän-fə-ˈskā-shən
noun
confiscator
ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt-ər
noun
confiscatory
kən-ˈfis-kə-ˌtōr-ē, 
-ˌtȯr-
adjective

Legal Definition

confiscate

transitive verb
con·​fis·​cate ˈkän-fə-ˌskāt How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
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
ˌkän-fə-ˈskā-shən How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
noun
confiscator
ˈkän-fə-ˌskā-tər How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
noun
confiscatory
kən-ˈfis-kə-ˌtōr-ē How to pronounce confiscate (audio)
adjective

More from Merriam-Webster on confiscate

Nglish: Translation of confiscate for Spanish Speakers

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