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YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

embezzle

Verb

IPA /ɪmˈbezl/

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Meaning in plain English

To secretly steal money that you have been trusted to manage.

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Pronunciation

embezzle/ɪmˈbezl/

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  1. Someone is trusted to manage shared funds

  2. They secretly take money for themselves

  3. The funds enter their own pocket

To embezzle is to steal money that has been entrusted to your care.

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Examples in context

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  1. In the crime drama, the treasurer embezzles money from a local charity.
  2. The audit found that an employee had embezzled funds from the company.

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To secretly steal money that you have been trusted to manage.
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embezzle — To secretly steal money that you have been trusted to manage.

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To secretly steal money that you have been trusted to manage.

Compare: In the crime drama, the treasurer embezzles money from a local charity.

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Word origin

From Anglo-Norman French embesiler, a verb meaning to steal; its more distant origin is uncertain.

Did you know?

Embezzle refers specifically to money under someone's care or control.

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embezzle

/ɪmˈbezl/ (Verb)

“Use embezzle money or funds. It is more specific than steal and often appears in financial reporting.”

englishskillstudio.com