misallocate

verb

mis·​al·​lo·​cate ˌmis-ˈa-lə-ˌkāt How to pronounce misallocate (audio)
misallocated; misallocating
Synonyms of misallocatenext

transitive verb

: to allocate (something, such as money or resources) poorly or improperly
allegedly misallocated company funds
Top managers misallocate resources, overpay themselves, and ignore other, possibly better ways of motivating employees—all because giving out options is "free."— Justin Fox

Examples of misallocate in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The authors of that USC paper acknowledged that rent control is a blunt tool that can misallocate capital in housing. — Star Tribune, 3 July 2021 Industrial policy of this sort would misallocate capital in a way that would slow the economy’s transition to a post-virus new normal. — Glenn Hubbard, WSJ, 8 Dec. 2020

Word History

First Known Use

1934, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of misallocate was in 1934

Rhymes for misallocate

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Browse Nearby Words

misalliance
misallocate
misallocation
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Misallocate.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/misallocate. Accessed 30 Mar. 2025.

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