appropriation
gb/əpɹˌoʊpɹiˈeɪʃən/ us/əpɹˌoʊpɹiˈeɪʃən/
C1
English
~ 9800
Senses
0 senses
Noun
formal
C1
action
1
taking something for personal use
the act of taking something for yourself, especially when you do not have the right to take it
Usage pattern:
the appropriation of [something] (by [someone])
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'appropriation' with the adjective 'appropriate' (meaning 'suitable'). Remember: 'appropriation' is a noun about taking something, often without permission, while 'appropriate' describes whether something fits a situation. Learners also sometimes say *'an appropriation of money from'* when they mean 'by' someone; use 'of' for what is taken and 'by' for who takes it.
Synonyms
seizure (suggests taking something forcefully or suddenly, often by authority, while appropriation can also be quiet or indirect.)
|
taking (more general and neutral; lacks the legal or moral shade of doing it without proper right.)
Antonyms
restitution (focuses on giving something back, especially after it has been taken or used without right.)
|
surrender (emphasizes willingly giving something up instead of taking it for oneself.)
Collocations
the appropriation of land
|the appropriation of funds
|the appropriation of ideas
|illegal appropriation
|wrongful appropriation
|private appropriation
Themes
law
|business
|ethics
|society
|finance
Examples
- The report accused the company of the unlawful appropriation of community land.
- Artists protested what they saw as the appropriation of their work without payment or credit.
- The novel explores the appropriation of local traditions by outside businesses.
- He faced charges for the appropriation of client funds into his personal account.
- Critics condemned the appropriation of grassroots language for marketing purposes.
Learner examples
- The appropriation of the land made the farmers very angry.
- She was arrested for the appropriation of money from the charity.
- Many people are upset about the appropriation of their work without permission.
- The article talks about the appropriation of local customs by big companies.
Noun
formal
C1
entity
2
official setting aside of funds
money that a government or organization officially keeps for a special purpose, or the act of keeping it for that purpose
Usage pattern:
an appropriation of [amount] for [purpose]; an appropriation for [purpose]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse this meaning with simply 'price' or 'cost'. An 'appropriation' is not what something costs; it is the money officially set aside to pay for it. Also, this sense is usually countable ('an appropriation', 'appropriations'), unlike the more general sense of 'appropriation' as the act of taking.
Synonyms
allocation (more general and common in business; does not necessarily imply a formal legal or legislative process.)
|
budget line (informal financial term for a specific item in a budget, not the legal act of setting it aside.)
Antonyms
cut (refers to reducing or removing planned spending rather than setting money aside.)
|
withholding (keeping funds back instead of officially assigning them to a purpose.)
Collocations
government appropriation
|federal appropriation
|an appropriation bill
|defense appropriations
|budget appropriations
|request an appropriation
Themes
politics
|economics
|business
|law
|finance
Examples
- Congress approved an emergency appropriation of $2 billion for disaster relief.
- The museum relies heavily on state appropriations to cover its operating costs.
- Lawmakers negotiated a last-minute increase in education appropriations.
- The committee rejected the proposed appropriation for the new highway.
- Without a new appropriation, the agency will be forced to shut down some programs.
Learner examples
- The city council voted for an appropriation for new schools.
- This program depends on government appropriations every year.
- They asked for an appropriation of more money for health care.
- The project stopped because there was no new appropriation.
Noun
C1
action
3
use of another culture's elements
when people from one culture take clothing, music, symbols, or other things from another culture, especially a weaker one, in a way that many see as disrespectful or unfair
Usage pattern:
the appropriation of [culture / cultural element]; cultural appropriation of [something]
Common mistake:
Learners sometimes confuse 'cultural appropriation' with 'cultural appreciation'. Appreciation is generally viewed as positive, while appropriation is usually viewed as negative and unfair. Another mistake is to drop 'cultural' and expect 'appropriation' alone to carry the same social meaning; in many texts, the word 'cultural' is important to make this sense clear.
Synonyms
exploitation (emphasizes taking unfair advantage, not specifically about culture but often used in similar discussions.)
|
co‑optation (often used in politics and culture when ideas or symbols are taken over and used for a different purpose.)
Antonyms
cultural exchange (suggests a more equal, mutual sharing between cultures rather than one-sided taking.)
|
respectful adoption (focuses on taking up another culture's practices with permission, understanding, and credit.)
Collocations
cultural appropriation
|the appropriation of Indigenous symbols
|fashion appropriation
|appropriation of Black culture
|appropriation of religious imagery
|accusations of appropriation
Themes
culture
|society
|identity
|ethics
|relationships
|politics
Examples
- The festival was criticized for its blatant cultural appropriation of Indigenous ceremonies.
- Many people see wearing a sacred headdress as an act of appropriation rather than appreciation.
- The article examines the appropriation of Black music styles by mainstream pop artists.
- She apologized after fans accused her of appropriation of traditional hairstyles.
- Debates about cultural appropriation often center on power, history, and consent.
Learner examples
- Some people think the costume is cultural appropriation.
- The singer was accused of appropriation of Native designs.
- They talked about cultural appropriation in class today.
- Many young people are learning why appropriation can hurt others.
Noun
technical
C2
action
4
reuse of existing works in art
in art, using pictures, objects, or words that already exist in the world and putting them into a new artwork
Usage pattern:
the appropriation of [image / artwork / text] in [art / film]
Common mistake:
Learners may confuse this sense with 'plagiarism'. In art, 'appropriation' can be legal and creatively accepted, especially when it changes the meaning or context, while plagiarism is always dishonest copying, especially in writing or academic work.
Synonyms
sampling (common in music and digital art; more specific to taking small parts of audio or media.)
|
reuse (very general; lacks the critical or conceptual focus that 'appropriation' has in art theory.)
Antonyms
original creation (emphasizes producing entirely new material instead of reusing existing works.)
Collocations
artistic appropriation
|visual appropriation
|appropriation art
|the appropriation of popular images
|postmodern appropriation
|digital appropriation
Themes
art
|media
|culture
|arts_entertainment
Examples
- The exhibition focuses on the appropriation of advertising images in contemporary art.
- Her work raises questions about copyright and artistic appropriation.
- Appropriation became a key strategy in postmodern painting and photography.
- The film’s bold appropriation of classic movie scenes divided critics.
- Scholars debate whether this kind of appropriation is homage or theft.
Learner examples
- The artist uses appropriation of famous photos in his work.
- Appropriation is common in modern art and music.
- In class, we studied the appropriation of old images in new films.
- Some people like appropriation in art; others think it is copying.
Grammar
Dictionary form
appropriation
IPA
GB/əpɹˌoʊpɹiˈeɪʃən/
US/əpɹˌoʊpɹiˈeɪʃən/
Syllables & stress
ap - pro - pri - ation (4 syllables)
Stress on 4th syllable (ation)
Word forms
Noun
- Base: appropriation
- Plural: appropriation, appropriations
Word family
Forms
appropriations
noun
Core family
appropriate
verb B1
Related words
appropriately
adverb B2
appropriateness
noun
Negative and opposite forms
Advanced or less common
reappropriate
verb
reappropriation
noun
Expressions
appropriation act
1/əpɹˌoʊpɹiˈeɪʃən ˈækt/
fixed phrase
formal
law setting aside government funds
a law that officially gives government money to certain programs or projects
Examples
- Under the latest appropriation act, hospitals will receive more support.
- The appropriation act outlines exactly how much each agency will get.
appropriation bill
1/əpɹˌoʊpɹiˈeɪʃən bˈɪl/
fixed phrase
formal
law that authorizes spending
a planned law that, if passed, allows a government to spend money on certain things
Examples
- Lawmakers stayed late to pass the final appropriation bill.
- The education appropriation bill increased funding for public schools.
appropriation of funds
1/əpɹˌoʊpɹiˈeɪʃən əv fˈʌndz/
fixed phrase
formal
taking or using money
the act of taking or using money, often from a company or group, sometimes without permission or for a wrong purpose
Examples
- He was fired for the unauthorized appropriation of funds.
- The investigation revealed the illegal appropriation of funds from the charity.
budget appropriation
1/bˈʌd͡ʒɪt əpɹˌoʊpɹiˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
formal
money set aside in a budget
money in a budget that is officially kept for a special use
Examples
- The budget appropriation for public transport was increased this year.
- Each department must work within its budget appropriation.
cultural appropriation
1/kˈʌlt͡ʃɚəl əpɹˌoʊpɹiˈeɪʃən/
fixed phrase
Using another culture without respect
When someone uses parts of another culture without knowing or respecting its meaning.
Examples
- Wearing that costume could be seen as cultural appropriation.
- The fashion show sparked a debate about cultural appropriation.
- The debate about cultural appropriation is ongoing in the fashion industry.
- Many activists say the costume is an example of cultural appropriation.