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
The Cubs sued Wrigley View Rooftop and Dunican in 2024 for misappropriating the team’s property rights and unjust enrichment.
—
Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 May 2026
If the audit reveals that funds were misappropriated or handled criminally, those responsible belong in prison.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
DeMaio said police found that Orsini misappropriated more than $100,000 in chamber funds between 2022 and 2025.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
Ellison acknowledged that the meeting itself took place at LifeTime Work’s coworking space, which houses the corporate offices of ThinkTechAct Foundation, a company that misappropriated millions of dollars in child nutrition money.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for misappropriate
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Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 4 May 2026
If the audit reveals that funds were misappropriated or handled criminally, those responsible belong in prison.
—Kaitlyn Schallhorn, Oc Register, 4 May 2026
DeMaio said police found that Orsini misappropriated more than $100,000 in chamber funds between 2022 and 2025.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 1 May 2026
Ellison acknowledged that the meeting itself took place at LifeTime Work’s coworking space, which houses the corporate offices of ThinkTechAct Foundation, a company that misappropriated millions of dollars in child nutrition money.
—Mia Cathell, The Washington Examiner, 24 Apr. 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 10 May. 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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