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misallocate

American  
[mis-al-uh-kayt] / mɪsˈæl əˌkeɪt /

verb (used with object)

misallocated, misallocating
  1. to allocate mistakenly or improperly.

    to misallocate resources.


Other Word Forms


Etymology

Origin of misallocate

mis- 1 + allocate


Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

If we misallocate capital, we absorb the loss.

From The Wall Street Journal ● May 11, 2026

If anyone in crypto billed themselves as the kind of actors who wouldn’t incinerate, misallocate, or steal customers’ money, it was Bankman-Fried and FTX.

From Slate ● Oct. 3, 2023

Unlike the center, we don't have the resources to misallocate and we do face real constraints.

From Salon ● Sep. 24, 2020

Governments could hardly misallocate resources that would otherwise be unemployed.

From Economist ● Dec. 17, 2014

The Depository Trust Clearing Corp, the organization responsible for allocating and adjusting the share count, said it did not misallocate shares.

From Reuters ● Jul. 28, 2010

Macklem said large capital inflows into the U.S. could be misallocated, risking a painful correction or sudden reversal of flows.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 23, 2026

This can be supported by identifying which skills are becoming obsolete, where new capabilities are emerging and where talent is being misallocated.

From MarketWatch ● Jan. 13, 2026

Moore added she fears that all the investments going into technological solutions to loneliness are going to be misallocated, which could ultimately keep people from seeking out real human connections.

From Salon ● May 21, 2023

Some team executives used the term “juice” to refer to revenue that was intentionally misallocated in the franchise’s accounting system and attributed to unrelated events, the letter says Friedman told the committee.

From Washington Post ● Apr. 12, 2022

Among the other claims: Navient repeatedly misallocated payments and incorrectly reported to credit bureaus that some disabled borrowers — including military veterans — had defaulted when their loans had actually been forgiven.

From New York Times ● Oct. 7, 2018

But there are significant risks, the analysts write, given Tesla’s performance to date and the possibility of investors misallocating capital into these sectors.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 7, 2026

In truth, what’s necessary is recognition that our education system is badly misallocating resources and leaving us susceptible to such claims.

From Slate ● Nov. 16, 2016

It’s about a financial crisis and the structure of our economy, which really has been misallocating capital.”

From New York Times ● Aug. 8, 2011

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