appropriated

verb

past tense of appropriate
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

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of appropriated In a world saturated with information, where every image is already endlessly recycled and re-appropriated, attention itself becomes a political act. — Matilda Hague, Variety, 13 Aug. 2026 Congress appropriated $257 million in last year’s One Big Beautiful Bill Act for Kennedy Center repairs and renovations. — Ted Johnson, Deadline, 13 Aug. 2026 But some conservative Republicans have appropriated the character as, among other things, anti-gay. — Encyclopedia Britannica, 11 Aug. 2026 Its funding comes from money appropriated by Congress, as well as donations from corporations and individuals. — Sarah Webber, The Conversation, 6 Aug. 2026 District officials warned against budgeting money that had not yet been appropriated, while educators, their unions and other supporters argued that failing to do so would certainly trigger deeper cuts to classrooms already stretched thin. — Richard Fowler, Forbes.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Bonta’s office drew down an auxiliary state fund appropriated for such actions by more than $19 million during the 2025-26 fiscal year, the attorney general said in a report to the Legislature also released Tuesday. — Sharon Bernstein, Sacbee.com, 4 Aug. 2026 Although Congress appropriated $345 million for AHRQ for this fiscal year, the agency has spent less than $15 million on grants and hasn’t issued a new one in over a year, according to a review of federal records. — Arthur Allen, Miami Herald, 30 July 2026 In general, the president can only spend money that Congress has appropriated. — Cameron Pugh, Christian Science Monitor, 29 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appropriated
  1. seized
  2. stole
  3. confiscated
  4. misappropriated
  5. usurped
  6. swiped
  7. converted
  8. claimed
Verb
  • Messi had a shot saved at the beginning of the second half, but Palacios then sparked a move from one side of the pitch to the other as Nashville restored its lead in the 49th minute and seized control of the game.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Authorities have seized Walter’s cellphone and laptop, according to Bloomberg.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of seized
Verb
  • Siri stole second, and Schanuel brought him home on the go-ahead RBI single.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 15 Aug. 2026
  • Two armed men stole the works on December 7 from the Mário de Andrade Library in São Paulo during public hours at the city’s largest library.
    — Maximilíano Durón, ARTnews.com, 14 Aug. 2026
Definition of stole
Verb
  • Reuters — The Thai teen behind a deadly school shooting outside Bangkok had an air gun confiscated by a teacher last year and had watched violent content online, police said on Sunday, as the government promised new safety protocols for schools.
    — CNN Money, CNN Money, 10 Aug. 2026
  • The car is believed to have been confiscated by German forces and shipped back to Berlin.
    — Howard Walker, Robb Report, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of confiscated
Verb
  • 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
  • The judge, however, said Monday that Ramco failed to offer evidence that Prasad misappropriated hospital funds.
    — Lisa Schencker, Chicago Tribune, 1 June 2026
Definition of misappropriated
Verb
  • Colby opened camp on the first string but has been usurped the past week by veteran Rob Jones, whose violent streak showed up well in Tuesday’s action against the Titans.
    — Cam Inman, Mercury News, 13 Aug. 2026
  • Mikesic said LivaNova’s actions usurped Cansler’s ability to request information from the company’s corporate representatives and witnesses as her attorneys prepared for trial.
    — Judy L. Thomas, Kansas City Star, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of usurped
Verb
  • That record of 70 is shared by Jacoby Ellsbury, who accomplished the feat in the majors in 2009, and David Hamilton, who swiped the same total at Double-A in 2022.
    — Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Layered into lasagna, stuffed into pierogies, and swiped onto toast, there are so many ways to revel in the curds.
    — Nina Moskowitz, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of swiped
Verb
  • Nashville then moved two goals clear in the 56th minute when Cristian Espinoza sent a pass across toward the near post and Surridge converted nonchalantly with a beautiful heel flick.
    — Dean Jones, New York Times, 16 Aug. 2026
  • In 1998, Bidwill and Duffy terminated the popular harness meeting controlled by the Johnston family, a minority owner of Sportsman’s, and converted the Cicero track into a thoroughbred and auto racing venue, Chicago Motor Speedway.
    — Neil Milbert, Chicago Tribune, 16 Aug. 2026
Definition of converted
Verb
  • Bagherzadeh, who leads Iran’s armed forces’ missing persons search committee, earlier claimed that Qatar had held the three crew members for months after their planes were shot down early in the war.
    — Charlotte Reck, CNN Money, 16 Aug. 2026
  • Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the Israeli military staged a series of attacks on his country on Saturday, including intensive airstrikes and shelling, that claimed the lives of at least nine people and injured 11.
    — Arsalan Shahla, Fortune, 15 Aug. 2026
Definition of claimed

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appropriate
appropriated
appropriately
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Cite this Entry

“Appropriated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appropriated. Accessed 17 Aug. 2026.

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