Definition

1. Verb:
   • To take or use something, especially money or property, dishonestly or for a purpose other than its intended one. It implies a breach of trust, where something entrusted to a person's care is used fraudulently for their own benefit.

Usage and Examples

• Verb:
  • The treasurer was accused of trying to misappropriate the club's funds for personal vacations.
  • He misappropriated the research grant to buy a new car instead of laboratory equipment.
  • The investigation revealed that the charity director had misappropriated donations over several years.

Advanced Usage

• "to misappropriate funds/assets": A common collocation specifying what was taken dishonestly.
  • The CEO was charged with misappropriating corporate assets.
• "grossly misappropriate": Using "grossly" emphasizes the scale or egregious nature of the act.
  • The official was found to have grossly misappropriated public money.

Variants and Related Words

• Misappropriation (n): The act or instance of misappropriating.
  • The misappropriation of funds led to the organization's collapse.
• Embezzle (v): A close synonym, specifically meaning to steal money placed in one's trust (often used in a business context).
  • He was convicted for embezzling from the company.
• Defalcate (v): A formal term meaning to misappropriate funds; to embezzle.

Synonyms

• Embezzle: To steal (money or goods) entrusted to one's care.
• Peculate: To embezzle or steal (public funds, especially by a public official).
• Defalcate: To misappropriate funds; to embezzle.
• Pilfer: To steal (typically small amounts or things of little value).

Related Phrases and Idioms

• To have one's hand in the till/cookie jar: An informal idiom meaning to steal money from the place where one works.
  • The manager was caught with his hand in the till.
• Cooking the books: An informal phrase for falsifying financial records, often to conceal misappropriation.
  • The accountant was cooking the books to hide the misappropriated funds.

Verb

1. appropriate (as property entrusted to one's care) fraudulently to one's own use
   • The accountant embezzled thousands of dollars while working for the wealthy family