misapplication

noun

mis·​ap·​pli·​ca·​tion ˌmis-ˌa-plə-ˈkā-shən How to pronounce misapplication (audio)
plural misapplications
1
: the act or an instance of applying something incorrectly or improperly
a misapplication of the law
herbicide misapplication
2
: the act or an instance of misusing or spending something (such as public money) without proper authority
… a bank president was convicted of misapplication after he programmed the bank's computer not to debit his personal checking account when it would otherwise have been overdrawn.Stanley S. Arkin

Examples of misapplication in a Sentence

this silly gossiping is a serious misapplication of your time
Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Those misapplications might trigger personal liability for the guarantor, the former principal of the mortgage borrower – but the guarantor can no longer do anything to prevent it. Joshua Stein, Forbes, 23 Sep. 2024 In detailed chapters on topics like modern war-game simulations and the misapplication of game theory in justifying mass privatization, Clancy warns of the societal risks of allowing mathematical models to govern political decisions. The New Yorker, 2 Sep. 2024 To mitigate the risk of gen AI content misuse and misapplication, organizations need to develop the capabilities to detect, identify, and prevent the spread of such potentially misleading content. Öykü Isik, amit Joshi, lazaros Goutas, Harvard Business Review, 31 May 2024 Jorge Armando Contreras, 53, formerly the senior director of financial services for the Magnolia School District in California’s Orange County, pleaded guilty on March 28 to one count of embezzlement, theft, and intentional misapplication of funds from an organization receiving federal funds. Max Hauptman, USA TODAY, 29 July 2024 See all Example Sentences for misapplication 

Word History

First Known Use

1607, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of misapplication was in 1607

Dictionary Entries Near misapplication

Cite this Entry

“Misapplication.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misapplication. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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