embezzle

verb

em·​bez·​zle im-ˈbe-zəl 

em-

embezzled; embezzling im-ˈbe-zə-liŋ 

-ˈbez-liŋ,

em-

transitive verb

: to appropriate (something, such as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use

embezzled thousands of dollars

embezzlement

im-ˈbe-zəl-mənt 

em-

noun

embezzler

im-ˈbe-zə-lər 

em-

-ˈbez-lər

noun

Did you know?

English is full of verbs that mean “to steal” (such as pilfer, rob, swipe, plunder, filch, and thieve). But when it comes to stealing property (and in this context, money is a kind of property) that has been entrusted to you, embezzle wins the prize. The word most often refers to theft of company or government funds that one has charge of, and embezzlement is therefore a hallmark of white-collar crime—that is, crime committed by so-called “white-collar” workers. In the 15th century, around the time that embezzlement entered English (the ultimate root is Anglo-French besiller “to steal, plunder”), it would have also been possible to say that such plunderers “bezzled” company cash, but bezzle is now considered obsolete.

Examples of embezzle in a Sentence

He was caught embezzling money from his clients.

He was convicted of embezzling.

Recent Examples on the Web

Mizuhara, the former interpreter for Shohei Ohtani, is accused of embezzling more than $16 million from the MLB star to repay his gambling debts. —Matt Rybaltowski, Forbes, 18 Dec. 2024

The former manager of Nellie's Southern Kitchen in Belmont, which is owned by the Jonas family (yes, the Jonas Brothers' family), has been accused of embezzling tens of thousands of dollars from the restaurant. —Ashley Mahoney, Axios, 26 Nov. 2024

But after embezzling from the fraternity's finances and trying to use Scott's sexuality as blackmail to his conservative congressman father, Scott ended up turning on Blaise. —Sydney Bucksbaum, EW.com, 24 Nov. 2024

Like the Backstreet Boys, O-Town was created by Lou Pearlman, who was subsequently convicted of embezzling more than $300 million. —Anne Gelhaus, The Mercury News, 4 Nov. 2024

Word History

Etymology

Middle English embesilen, from Anglo-French embesiller to make away with, from en- + besiller to steal, plunder

First Known Use

15th century, in the meaning defined above

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Kids Definition

embezzle

verb

em·​bez·​zle im-ˈbez-əl 

embezzled; embezzling -(ə-)liŋ 

: to take (property entrusted to one's care) dishonestly for one's own use

embezzled thousands of dollars

embezzlement

-əl-mənt 

noun

embezzler

-(ə-)lər 

noun

Legal Definition

embezzle

transitive verb

em·​bez·​zle im-ˈbe-zəl 

embezzled; embezzling

: to convert (property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use compare defalcate

embezzlement noun

embezzler noun

Etymology

Anglo-French embeseiller to make away with, from en-, prefix stressing completion + beseller to snatch, misappropriate, from Old French, to destroy