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

During her first trial in April, Lan was found guilty of embezzling $12.5 billion, but prosecutors said the total damages caused by the scam amounted to $27 billion — equivalent to around six percent of the country’s 2023 GDP. —Amanda Gerut, Fortune Asia, 12 Dec. 2024

In 1955, James and his wife, Eleanore, built the house that stands on the farm but only lived there a short while, as James was convicted of embezzling $900,000 in union welfare fund premiums and served nine months in a New Jersey prison before being released for health reasons. —Bob Goldsborough, Chicago Tribune, 10 Dec. 2024

She had been put on death row by a Ho Chi Minh City court in April for embezzling more than $12 billion – an amount equivalent to roughly 3% of Vietnam’s entire economy. —Kathleen Magramo, CNN, 6 Dec. 2024

The lawsuit also claimed that the producers schemed to inflate the film’s budget and pocket the excess funds, embezzling roughly AU $900,000. —Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 22 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