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Glite Dictionary
✈️ An airplane hijack ✈️ To hijack a plane
to skyjacking

to skyjacking

9.6
To illegally take control of an airplane in flight by force or threat
  • verb
  • /ˈskaɪˌdʒækɪŋ/
  • NSFW
translation icon : secuestro de aviones
  • The terrorists skyjacked the plane to demand ransom.

Examples

  • She was prosecuted for her role in skyjacking the airplane during the heist.

  • The authorities responded quickly when the group attempted skyjacking the passenger jet.

  • International laws have become stricter to prevent skyjacking incidents on commercial flights.

  • The movie tells the story of a daring skyjacking that changed aviation security forever.

  • He was charged with skyjacking after the incident.

  • The terrorists planned a skyjacking to take control of the commercial flight.

  • After the skyjacking, the authorities tightened security measures at airports.

Synonyms

to hijack
vsto skyjacking
  • NSFW
125 5.7

To take control of a vehicle or meeting by force, often illegally

is narrower, applying only to illegal aircraft takeovers in flight
to skyjack
vsto skyjacking
  • NSFW
1 9.9

To take control of a plane by threat or force

is the exact sense given in the key entry
to highjack
vsto skyjacking
  • US
7.0

To take control of a plane or vehicle by force

is limited to illegal takeovers of aircraft in flight

How Forceful

to skyjacking
  • NSFW
9.6
to hijack
  • NSFW
125 5.7
to seize
277 3.2
to commandeer
34 8.5
to take over
862 3.1

Surface Forms

skyjacking infinitive
skyjacked past
skyjacked past participle
skyjacking present participle
skyjacks third person singular

Morphology

skyjacking = skyjack (transparent) = sky + jack + ing

The verb 'skyjacking' is the present-participle/gerund form of 'skyjack' formed by adding '-ing'; the composition is semantically straightforward.

Etymology

The word skyjacking comes from sky ('the air above us') and jack ('to take by force'), similar to carjack. That is why to skyjack means to take control of a plane by force.