What does hijack mean?
To hijack something is to seize control of it, usually by force or without permission. The literal sense refers to taking over a vehicle, such as a plane, bus, or car. Modern usage also covers seizing or disrupting a broadcast, communication system, computer account, event, or conversation. In figurative contexts, hijacking an idea, meeting, or discussion suggests diverting it from its intended purpose and using it for someone else’s agenda. The word often carries a negative or dramatic connotation because hijacking implies force, lack of consent, or the sudden assumption of control. It is useful both for describing serious crimes and for characterizing disruptive behavior in public discussions, media, and online activity.
To seize control of a vehicle, system, event, or other resource by force or without authorization; by extension, to divert or appropriate something for one's own purposes.
"The hacker tried to hijack several user accounts before the security team blocked the attempt."
The figurative use often implies an unwanted disruption or the forceful diversion of a discussion, broadcast, or event.
An act or instance of forcibly taking control of a vehicle, system, event, or other resource.
"The attempted hijack of the aircraft was prevented by the crew and passengers."
As a countable noun, it usually refers to a particular incident or attempt.
The plural is used for separate incidents or attempts, though it is less common than the verb.
"The news reported several hijacks in the region over the weekend."
From highway crime to cyberattacks and hostile takeovers of conversations, hijack captures the idea of seizing control before anyone else can stop you.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does hijack come from?
The word is generally traced to the early nineteenth-century form “highjack,” formed from “high” and “jack,” although the precise development of the combination is historically uncertain. It was later shortened and respelled as “hijack,” a form established in the early twentieth century in the sense of taking control forcibly. The related forms “jack” and “jack-up” preserve the older root element, while “hijacker” and “hijacking” are later grammatical derivatives.
Related word forms
How hijack is actually used
The word is common in British and American English. In its literal sense, it describes taking control of a vehicle by force. Figurative uses are often informal or metaphorical and can imply an unwelcome disruption or appropriation; “hijack a discussion” may suggest that someone has taken over the conversation rather than merely dominating it.