Misappropriate: meaning, definitions and examples

Better suited for formal or legal contexts to describe taking something dishonestly for one's own use, especially money that has been entrusted to one's care. Has a negative connotation.

• The company discovered that he had misappropriated funds for personal use.
• She was accused of misappropriating public resources.

Used when someone legally has access to money or property and illegally takes it for themselves. This term is common in legal and business contexts. It has a strong negative connotation.

• The accountant was found guilty of embezzling millions from the charity.
• He embezzled company funds to finance his lavish lifestyle.

This is a general term for taking someone else's property without permission. It can be used in all contexts and has a negative connotation.

• She was caught trying to steal a bike.
• He stole money from his mother's purse.

Describes stealing small items or quantities, usually of little value. Often used in a casual context but still has a negative connotation.

• The intern was caught pilfering snacks from the office kitchen.
• Workers pilfered tools from the construction site.

Use when taking something for one's own use, often without permission, but not necessarily with an illegal connotation. Can be used in both formal and informal contexts.

• He appropriated some office supplies for his home office.
• The artist's work appropriates elements from pop culture.

Used to describe the act of illegally or unethically extracting money or resources, usually through a system or process. Has a negative connotation, suitable for both formal and informal contexts.

• He was arrested for siphoning funds from the company's accounts.
• They siphoned off money from the project for their own use.