embezzlement
em-BEZZ-ul-munt
/ɪmˈbɛzlmənt/
The theft or misappropriation of funds placed in one's trust or belonging to one's employer.
Uniquely involves a breach of fiduciary duty where the perpetrator initially had legal access to the money.
The story behind the word. Derived from Anglo-French 'embesiler', meaning to render weak or waste away, eventually evolving to describe draining accounts secretly.
Word relationships
- misappropriation: Misappropriation is broader and can apply to non-financial assets or ideas.
Commonly confused with
- extortion: Embezzlement involves secret internal theft of entrusted funds; extortion uses external coercion or threats.
Word family
- embezzle (verb): To steal funds entrusted to one's care.
- embezzler (noun): A person who commits embezzlement.
Collocations
- systematic embezzlement
- charged with embezzlement
- corporate embezzlement
Example sentences
- "The chief financial officer was convicted of embezzlement after diverting millions into private offshore accounts." Financial audit
Memory hook
An EMBEZZLER puts cash in his BEZEL (ring/pocket) while working at the bank. Stealing entrusted funds.
When not to use
Do not use for muggings or direct physical thefts where the offender had no prior access to funds.
Fun facts
- Embezzlement is often uncovered during routine corporate accounting audits rather than active police surveillance.
Related words
Explore more words
Take your vocabulary further with LangBlitz
Our English vocabulary app: FSRS spaced repetition, 5,000+ curated words across 119 topic groups, CEFR A1 to C2. Explore your mastery with the beautiful Vocabulary World feature.