1
as in subsidy
a sum of money allotted for a specific use by official or formal action
the National Park Service received an increased appropriation for wildlife management
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in takeover
the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority
the insurgents' appropriation of the house for their headquarters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of appropriation
The agencies were left out of a broader Department of Homeland Security appropriations bill that passed Congress in late April on the heels of a record-long partial government shutdown.
—
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Green infrastructure requires funding, and yet Republicans have slashed appropriations for climate programs.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 9 June 2026
The bill, this year dubbed the BUILD America 250 Act, is a must-pass appropriation measure.
—Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
The House and Senate appropriations committees ultimately negotiate and decide which projects receive funding, and how much.
—Heather McCambly, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for appropriation
Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 9 June 2026
Green infrastructure requires funding, and yet Republicans have slashed appropriations for climate programs.
—Wyatt Williams, Harpers Magazine, 9 June 2026
The bill, this year dubbed the BUILD America 250 Act, is a must-pass appropriation measure.
—Sacbee.com, 9 June 2026
The House and Senate appropriations committees ultimately negotiate and decide which projects receive funding, and how much.
—Heather McCambly, The Conversation, 8 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for appropriation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appropriation
Noun
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As many agencies have limited how noncitizens can qualify for programs — like housing subsidies or commercial trucking licenses — the SBA moved to do the same.—
Alina Selyukh,
NPR,
12 June 2026
-
In Miami-Dade, public housing is owned and operated by the county, while affordable and workforce housing are privately owned and operated, with developers receiving government incentives and subsidies to keep rents at affordable levels for different income tiers.—
Catherine Odom,
Miami Herald,
12 June 2026
Noun
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The backstory The Artist opened in 2024 as a takeover of the Gran Hotel Domine, a hotel that was built in 2002 following the museum’s inauguration in 1997.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
11 June 2026
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Like Ernest Hemingway’s description of bankruptcy, Off Campus’s takeover of my phone happened gradually, then all at once.—
Sophie Gilbert,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Fox and Cavanaugh both became better known this year when the American Historical Association published hours of deposition video related to a lawsuit over the mass termination of grants at the National Endowment of the Humanities.—
Charlie Warzel,
The Atlantic,
10 June 2026
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Even with its fiscal year 2026 budget largely protected by Congress, the NSF has awarded grants at roughly 20% of its historical rate this fiscal year.—
Remy Dou,
The Conversation,
10 June 2026
Noun
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Under current law, 65% of money from fireworks fines and seizures must go to the Office of the State Fire Marshal’s Fireworks Enforcement and Disposal Fund.—
Daniel Lempres,
Sacbee.com,
16 June 2026
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Owen – an honors student and a volunteer at the local police department who had recently started working at a senior living community and who loved to draw, sing, dance, act and design fashion – died of a seizure.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
Noun
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The whole issue of restocking vacant allotments?—
Andrew McKean,
Outdoor Life,
10 June 2026
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The Lower Basin states recently proposed slashing their water allotments by about 20% annually and asked Upper Basin states to commit to permanent cuts to ensure water keeps flowing south.—
The Week US,
TheWeek,
8 June 2026
Noun
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In his second term, Cleveland supported the gold standard, prevented the annexation of Hawaii, and authorized the use of Federal troops to end the Pullman Strike.—
New York Times,
New York Times,
11 June 2026
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The City Council resolved in February to limit future Foothills annexation.—
Idaho Statesman,
Idaho Statesman,
11 June 2026
Noun
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Those laws sought to alter the reporting structure for the secretary or the directors in violation of Amendment 33 of the Arkansas Constitution, which protects the vested powers of constitutional boards, like the Board of Corrections, from usurpation by the governor, the General Assembly or both.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
18 May 2026
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This is an ancient practice that continues into the Middle Ages called usurpation.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Appropriation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appropriation. Accessed 16 Jun. 2026.
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