embezzle
verb
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English is full of verbs that mean “to steal” (such as pilfer, rob, swipe, plunder, filch, and thieve). But when it comes to stealing property (and in this context, money is a kind of property) that has been entrusted to you, embezzle wins the prize. The word most often refers to theft of company or government funds that one has charge of, and embezzlement is therefore a hallmark of white-collar crime—that is, crime committed by so-called “white-collar” workers. In the 15th century, around the time that embezzlement entered English (the ultimate root is Anglo-French besiller “to steal, plunder”), it would have also been possible to say that such plunderers “bezzled” company cash, but bezzle is now considered obsolete.
Examples of embezzle in a Sentence
Brittny Mejia, Los Angeles Times, 1 June 2024
Along with his two sons, former dictator Hosni Mubarak was sentenced to three years in prison in 2015 for embezzling state funds.
—Koh Ewe, TIME, 31 May 2024
Jim Chanos, the short seller who made his name and fortune on Enron Corp.’s demise, was sued by a partner that accused him of embezzling company funds for his personal use and enriching his girlfriend in the process.
—Greg Farrell, Fortune, 28 May 2024
In a related case, a jury found the mayor guilty of embezzling $500 worth of retail gift cards that were intended for the needy.
—Frederick N. Rasmussen, Baltimore Sun, 1 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for embezzle 
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'embezzle.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
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Cite this Entry
“Embezzle.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/embezzle. Accessed 5 Jun. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
embezzle
verb
Legal Definition
embezzle
transitive verb
Anglo-French embeseiller to make away with, from en-, prefix stressing completion + beseller to snatch, misappropriate, from Old French, to destroy
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