verb

shanghai

shang-HEYE

verb

To trick or force someone into doing something, or going somewhere, against their will.

"He felt shanghaied into chairing the committee after skipping just one meeting."

"Sailors were once shanghaied — drugged or tricked aboard ships that badly needed crew."

To seize or take over something, often improperly.

"The new manager shanghaied the best desk in the office on her first day."

How to Use Shanghai

Learner’s notes

In plain EnglishTo pressure or trick someone into an unwanted task or journey — from the old practice of forcing sailors onto ships.

Common mistake

Lowercase "shanghai" is the verb; capitalized "Shanghai" is only the city.

Common pairings

shanghaied into doing something shanghai a sailor

shanghaied past tense, shanghai'd past tense, shanghaied past tense, shanghais plural, shanghais plural, shanghais singular, shanghais singular

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Can you complete this real example?

He felt _____ into chairing the committee after skipping just one meeting.

From the Chinese port city of Shanghai; the verb arose around 1871 from the practice of press-ganging men onto ships bound for long Pacific voyages.

ai bai hai sai kai wai tai dai lai rai Mai nai