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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
Now it’s misappropriated the visual language of many other retail and consumer goods brands to look more progressive.
—Pamela N. Danziger, Forbes, 5 Dec. 2024
Toya Robertson, a former employee of the Orleans Parish sheriff's office, was arrested on several charges relating to a scheme to misappropriate more than $90,000 from the Louisiana agency's Inmate Trust Fund, according to a news release.
—Democrat-Gazette Staff From Wire Reports, arkansasonline.com, 5 Dec. 2024
The investigation revealed that the Viet America Society, a nonprofit touted by Do that's meant to provide meals for elderly and disabled residents, misappropriated nearly $10 million with only a fraction of the money going toward its intended purpose.
—Yaakov Katz, Newsweek, 28 Nov. 2024
Originally Published: August 6, 2024 at 12:16 p.m. Most Popular
Most Popular
Tropical Storm Debby brings ‘torrential rains’ while slowly moving across Georgia
Tropical Storm Debby brings ‘torrential rains’ while slowly moving across Georgia
A Fort Lauderdale attorney misappropriated $612,000.
—David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 6 Aug. 2024
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Word History
First Known Use
1825, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near misappropriate
Cite this Entry
“Misappropriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misappropriate. Accessed 21 Dec. 2024.
Kids 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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