misappropriate
verb
mis·ap·pro·pri·ate
ˌmi-sə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt 
misappropriated; misappropriating; misappropriates
: to appropriate wrongly (as by theft or embezzlement)
Synonyms
Examples of misappropriate in a Sentence
They accused him of misappropriating town funds.
a financial manager misappropriating funds from her clients' accounts
Recent Examples on the Web
Alcon Entertainment, in a lawsuit filed Monday in California federal court, accuses Elon Musk and his autonomous vehicle company of misappropriating the movie’s brand to promote its robotaxi at a glitzy unveiling earlier this month.
—
Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024
They would get canned for misappropriating funds to fuel the affair, or for not fully disclosing the details to the board when they eventually got caught.
—Beth Kowitt, The Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2024
The founder of that company pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges and was accused of misappropriating funds received through TANF for personal use.
—Alice Park, TIME, 25 Sep. 2024
Why are authorities investigating Michael Whiting? The Arizona Attorney General's Office is investigating Whiting for allegations of misappropriating taxpayer funds, destroying evidence, engaging in erratic behavior and using two employees as political enforcers.
—Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for misappropriate 
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Winston Cho, The Hollywood Reporter, 21 Oct. 2024
They would get canned for misappropriating funds to fuel the affair, or for not fully disclosing the details to the board when they eventually got caught.
—Beth Kowitt, The Mercury News, 9 Oct. 2024
The founder of that company pleaded guilty to wire fraud charges and was accused of misappropriating funds received through TANF for personal use.
—Alice Park, TIME, 25 Sep. 2024
Why are authorities investigating Michael Whiting? The Arizona Attorney General's Office is investigating Whiting for allegations of misappropriating taxpayer funds, destroying evidence, engaging in erratic behavior and using two employees as political enforcers.
—Robert Anglen, The Arizona Republic, 12 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for misappropriate
Dictionary Entries Near misappropriate
Cite this Entry
“Misappropriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misappropriate. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
misappropriate
verb
mis·ap·pro·pri·ate
ˌmis-ə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt
: to appropriate wrongly
especially
: to take dishonestly for one's own use
Legal Definition
misappropriate
transitive verb
mis·ap·pro·pri·ate
ˌmi-sə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt
: to appropriate wrongfully or unlawfully (as by theft or embezzlement)
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