View synonyms for confiscation

confiscation

[ kon-fuh-skey-shuhn ]

Phonetic (Standard)IPA

noun

the act, as a penalty, of seizing or appropriating something for public use or for ownership by the state:
The government introduced a bill allowing the confiscation of property belonging to foreign states.
the act of seizing something by or as if by authority:
In order to avoid confiscation of their cell phones under the strict new rule, many teens only became more secretive about using them.

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Other Words From

non·con·fis·ca·tion noun
pro·con·fis·ca·tion noun

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Word History and Origins

Origin of confiscation¹

First recorded in 1540–50; from Latin cōnfiscātiōn-, stem of cōnfiscātiō “seizure,” from cōnfiscāt(us) “seized” (past participle of cōnfiscāre “to seize for the public treasury”; confiscate ( def ) ) + -iō -ion ( def )

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confiscate confiscatory

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