1
as in subsidy
a sum of money allotted for a specific use by official or formal action
the National Park Service received an increased appropriation for wildlife management
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in takeover
the unlawful taking or withholding of something from the rightful owner under a guise of authority
the insurgents' appropriation of the house for their headquarters
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of appropriation
The One Big Beautiful Bill Act also allocated some funds for COPS and Byrne JAG grants, in addition to the regular fiscal year 2026 congressional appropriation.
—
Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
But where is the line between inspiration and appropriation?
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2026
The city’s ordinance outline a funding package that includes bonds, city appropriations and Tax Increment Financing (TIF).
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
State law specifically prohibits the taking, appropriation, excavation, destructioor alteration of burial sites.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for appropriation
Sarah N. Lynch, CBS News, 22 Apr. 2026
But where is the line between inspiration and appropriation?
—The New Yorker, New Yorker, 22 Apr. 2026
The city’s ordinance outline a funding package that includes bonds, city appropriations and Tax Increment Financing (TIF).
—Kacen Bayless, Kansas City Star, 21 Apr. 2026
State law specifically prohibits the taking, appropriation, excavation, destructioor alteration of burial sites.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 21 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for appropriation
Recent Examples of Synonyms for appropriation
Noun
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And then the Chinese government used the conversion to pure EVs to end subsidies, to change the level playing field, to tilt it in the local OEMs’ favor.—
Jamie Lincoln Kitman,
Rolling Stone,
24 Apr. 2026
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Stadiums are notorious for their lack of multiplier impact, which is one reason these days why sports team owners, such as the McCaskey family that controls the Bears, have such a hard time hoodwinking governments into giving them direct subsidies to build their stadiums.—
David Greising,
Chicago Tribune,
24 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Trump has been warning of a takeover of Cuba, feeding anxiety among Democratic lawmakers who are fearful that negotiations with Havana are a pretense for an invasion.—
Francesca Chambers,
USA Today,
29 Apr. 2026
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That’s different from a street takeover, and gives legitimate racers a bad name.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The developers would also pledge $2 million to the city’s Housing Trust Fund, which provides grant funding to affordable housing projects — in line with Port KC policy requiring projects that don’t set aside affordable units to pay $5,000 per unit into the Housing Trust Fund.—
Chris Higgins,
Kansas City Star,
29 Apr. 2026
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The unrestricted grant resurrects the spirt of the AIDS Treatment Project, which Giorno started when the epidemic left so many artists in need beginning in the early ’80s.—
Andy Battaglia,
ARTnews.com,
29 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The double blockade actually creates a pretty tenuous situation because every interdiction, every warning shot, every seizure of vessels, could become a trigger for a wider relapse into conflict.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
27 Apr. 2026
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That certification does not mention mines specifically and is intended to protect against the entire spectrum of threats, including missile and drone attacks or seizures, Mortimer said.—
Ben Finley,
Chicago Tribune,
25 Apr. 2026
Noun
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Fans who registered for the first drop of tickets but did not receive a time slot and fans who did not buy their maximum 12 general ticket allotment will automatically be entered into the random lottery Drop 2.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
23 Apr. 2026
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In this allotment of tax credits, animation emerged as major participants as the production category became eligible for the first time in the program’s history.—
Winston Cho,
HollywoodReporter,
23 Apr. 2026
Noun
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The city manager and other officials are named in an April 6 lawsuit seeking to reverse the annexation.—
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
23 Apr. 2026
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The Oswego Village Board authorized an annexation agreement with the developer, MK Builders and Construction LLC, in May of 2025.—
Linda Girardi,
Chicago Tribune,
21 Apr. 2026
Noun
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This is an ancient practice that continues into the Middle Ages called usurpation.—
Nina Metz,
Chicago Tribune,
9 Mar. 2026
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The Court’s usurpation runs deeper than the invalidation of statutes with a liberal cast, though there has been plenty of that.—
Duncan Hosie,
The Atlantic,
13 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Appropriation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appropriation. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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