as in stole
to take (something) without right and with an intent to keep
a financial manager misappropriating funds from her clients' accounts
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Recent Examples of misappropriated
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
Medicaid money misappropriated The DeSantis administration directed the $10 million to be set aside for a charity, the Hope Florida Foundation, which then gave it to two nonprofits.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
The alligator is a symbol that is being misappropriated as a predator, but it’s known as a sacred guardian in the Everglades.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025
In early August, for example, NABU and SAPO exposed a criminal group of political, military, and business figures that had misappropriated funds allocated by local authorities for the purchase of drones and electronic warfare systems.
—Daria Kaleniuk, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2025
She is also accused of misappropriated the victim’s money at least 45 times from June 2021 through November 2022, Gerace added.
—Fox19 Staff, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Aug. 2025
The State alleged the cash was misappropriated Sumner County Food Bank funds.
—Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 5 Aug. 2025
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
Medicaid money misappropriated The DeSantis administration directed the $10 million to be set aside for a charity, the Hope Florida Foundation, which then gave it to two nonprofits.
—Sun Sentinel Editorial Board, Sun Sentinel, 23 Jan. 2026
The alligator is a symbol that is being misappropriated as a predator, but it’s known as a sacred guardian in the Everglades.
—Melinda Sheckells, HollywoodReporter, 19 Dec. 2025
In early August, for example, NABU and SAPO exposed a criminal group of political, military, and business figures that had misappropriated funds allocated by local authorities for the purchase of drones and electronic warfare systems.
—Daria Kaleniuk, Foreign Affairs, 3 Sep. 2025
She is also accused of misappropriated the victim’s money at least 45 times from June 2021 through November 2022, Gerace added.
—Fox19 Staff, Cincinnati Enquirer, 13 Aug. 2025
The State alleged the cash was misappropriated Sumner County Food Bank funds.
—Katie Nixon, The Tennessean, 5 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for misappropriated
Verb
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Thieves stole $40,000 worth of handmade puppets, props and merchandise from outside a Hollywood Hills home.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
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On March 18, 1990, two men posing as police officers stole 13 artworks valued at over $500 million from the museum in what is considered the largest unsolved art heist in modern history.—
Joe Dwinell,
Boston Herald,
11 Feb. 2026
Verb
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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
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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
Cite this Entry
“Misappropriated.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/misappropriated. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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