1
as in seized
to take or make use of under a guise of authority but without actual right
archaeologists wrongfully appropriated artifacts excavated at ancient sites for their museums
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in stole
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
you can't just appropriate somebody's term paper and put your name on it!
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of appropriated
While the executive branch oversees the appointments of the center's board of trustees, Congress has the ultimate say on what money gets appropriated and what projects get approved.
—
Nathan Lee, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2026
Democratic state lawmakers appropriated $30 million more than the $60 million Newsom called for in his budget.
—Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Tuesday's vote to approve the Flock contract also allocated that money paid by the dispensaries to the city's general fund, then appropriated the money to the Woodland Police Department budget.
—Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
The constitution was thus wrested from the Iranian people and appropriated by a ruling cadre that imposed its own interpretation of Islamic law upon them.
—Ramin Jahanbegloo, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Or when Judge Mary McElroy ruled similarly about the Administration’s flagrant disregard for her orders to unfreeze funds appropriated by the Inflation Reduction Act.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
On the same day that the Politico article was published, Miller gathered agency leaders at the White House to discuss the administration’s success in spending funds appropriated with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Congress has appropriated billions of dollars and passed sweeping reforms like the First Step Act.
—Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
His second amendment would have appropriated $6 million from the general fund, the amount removed last year in the state budget.
—Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Nathan Lee, ABC News, 11 Feb. 2026
Democratic state lawmakers appropriated $30 million more than the $60 million Newsom called for in his budget.
—Andrew Graham, Sacbee.com, 10 Feb. 2026
Tuesday's vote to approve the Flock contract also allocated that money paid by the dispensaries to the city's general fund, then appropriated the money to the Woodland Police Department budget.
—Ashley Sharp, CBS News, 4 Feb. 2026
The constitution was thus wrested from the Iranian people and appropriated by a ruling cadre that imposed its own interpretation of Islamic law upon them.
—Ramin Jahanbegloo, Time, 3 Feb. 2026
Or when Judge Mary McElroy ruled similarly about the Administration’s flagrant disregard for her orders to unfreeze funds appropriated by the Inflation Reduction Act.
—Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 3 Feb. 2026
On the same day that the Politico article was published, Miller gathered agency leaders at the White House to discuss the administration’s success in spending funds appropriated with the One Big Beautiful Bill Act.
—Michael Scherer, The Atlantic, 29 Jan. 2026
Congress has appropriated billions of dollars and passed sweeping reforms like the First Step Act.
—Walter Pavlo, Forbes.com, 28 Jan. 2026
His second amendment would have appropriated $6 million from the general fund, the amount removed last year in the state budget.
—Carole Carlson, Chicago Tribune, 26 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appropriated
Verb
-
Authorities have seized more than €957,000 in cash, including €67,000 in foreign currency.—
News Desk,
Artforum,
13 Feb. 2026
-
While Japan has seized fishing vessels from South Korea and Taiwan in recent years, the incident is the first involving a vessel from China since 2022 and comes against the backdrop of a major diplomatic dispute between the countries.—
Reuters,
NBC news,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Pullman also stole from the union on his own, the office said, using his position debit card to pay for items like a vacation to Miami and lunch of champagne and caviar in New York with his then-girlfriend.—
Grace Zokovitch,
Boston Herald,
19 Feb. 2026
-
The story follows Jean Valjean, an embittered convict who stole bread to feed his sister’s starving family.—
Rob Hubbard,
Twin Cities,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Last month, the FBI raided a Georgia election office and confiscated hundreds of boxes of material from the 2020 election.—
Letters to the Editor,
The Orlando Sentinel,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Her employee badge, keys and computer were confiscated, according to the memo.—
Jessica Seaman,
Denver Post,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
In a recent Instagram post, Pintacura said Thieme misappropriated state funds and grossly mishandled budget protocols.—
Jeffrey Schweers,
The Orlando Sentinel,
30 Jan. 2026
-
Marshall exposed that funds intended for inmate rehabilitation and reform were misappropriated or misused, leading to failures in implementing the Act and poor staff, inmate, and public outcomes.—
Walter Pavlo,
Forbes.com,
28 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Many printers and news businesses were created, usurped or exchanged hands frequently during the 1910s era.—
Michael James Rocha,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Look at how Taco Tuesday is circling the drain because the tariffs of President TrumpAlwaysChickensOut have usurped every other day of the week.—
Pat Beall,
Sun Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
The traditional eyeliner was eschewed—a chunky black kajal swiped across the lid on one eye, then on the lower lash line on the other.—
Kiana Murden,
Vogue,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Brazilian ski racer Lucas Pinheiro Braathen swiped away the competition with a powerful final run in the Olympic giant slalom on Saturday, winning gold and earning South America's first-ever medal at a Winter Games.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
14 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
About 60,000 street lights are eligible to be converted to solar, according to Yaroslavsky.—
Melissa Gomez,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Feb. 2026
-
Critics across the political spectrum have argued that repeatedly extending the emergency effectively converted a disaster-response reserve into a standing funding stream for immigration policy.—
Garrett Shanley,
Miami Herald,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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His character was killed off early in Season 9 after a devastating Season 8 plane crash that also claimed the life of Leigh’s Lexie.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
20 Feb. 2026
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Survivors of the catastrophic avalanche in California's Sierra Nevada that claimed at least eight lives were rescued after using an emergency feature available on some iPhones.—
Jeanine Santucci,
USA Today,
20 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Appropriated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appropriated. Accessed 20 Feb. 2026.
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