misappropriate
verb
mis·ap·pro·pri·ate
ˌmi-sə-ˈprō-prē-ˌāt 
misappropriated; misappropriating; misappropriates
: to appropriate wrongly (as by theft or embezzlement)
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
Ereg is accused of obtaining, misappropriating and laundering millions of dollars meant to feed children in need, officials said in a statement.
—
Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 11 June 2026
Trauernicht faces a felony charge of misappropriating public funds while serving as the UC Davis fire chief.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2026
He was also accused of deceiving escrow agents to secure the release of pre-construction condo deposits and then misappropriated those funds for personal expenses unrelated to the developments.
—Jay Weaver
june 6, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026
Wilson is accused of misappropriating $54,000 in county funds.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for misappropriate
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Alicia Victoria Lozano, NBC news, 11 June 2026
Trauernicht faces a felony charge of misappropriating public funds while serving as the UC Davis fire chief.
—Rosalio Ahumada, Sacbee.com, 8 June 2026
He was also accused of deceiving escrow agents to secure the release of pre-construction condo deposits and then misappropriated those funds for personal expenses unrelated to the developments.
—Jay Weaver
june 6, Miami Herald, 6 June 2026
Wilson is accused of misappropriating $54,000 in county funds.
—Julie Sharp, CBS News, 3 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for misappropriate
Cite this Entry
“Misappropriate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misappropriate. Accessed 13 Jun. 2026.
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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