misappropriation

American  

[mis-uh-proh-pree-ey-shuhn] / ˌmɪs əˌproʊ priˈeɪ ʃən /

noun

1. wrongful use, especially the dishonest or inappropriate use of others’ money, data, etc..

   He pled guilty to multiple counts of misappropriation of public funds and falsifying public documents, and received a four-year prison sentence.

   Database owners are concerned about the possible commercial misappropriation of their products.

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Etymology

Origin of misappropriation

mis- ¹ ( def. ) + appropriation ( def. )

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

misappropriation

Legal experts say Harper might have grounds to sue FanDuel for false endorsement, misappropriation and invasion of privacy.

From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026

Acts of Man are human-made but not policy-driven, including frauds such as Edwin Ludlow’s misappropriation of funds from the Ohio Life Insurance and Trust Co. in 1857, or the savings-and-loan failures in the mid-1980s.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 5, 2026

Fischer said she believes that there is “way more” insider trading and misappropriation in these markets than law enforcement is able to catch.

From MarketWatch ● May 28, 2026

The lawsuit includes allegations of copyright infringement, trademark infringement and misappropriation of Lipa's likeness and image.

From BBC ● May 10, 2026

Bobby was indignant and then irate when he heard about it, proclaiming the film a misappropriation of his name and, therefore, an invasion of his privacy.

From "Endgame" by Frank Brady

Related Words

• desecration
• exploitation
• misconduct
• misdeed
• mishandling
• misuse
• prostitution
• wrongdoing