BusinessJuly 22, 2026

misallocation

/ˌmɪsˌæləˈkeɪʃən/

Definition

The act or process of distributing resources, funds, or assets incorrectly, inefficiently, or to the wrong parties.

Etymology

The word is formed by adding the prefix 'mis-' (meaning wrongly or badly) to 'allocation,' which comes from the Medieval Latin 'allocare,' meaning to place or assign.

In the news

The article uses 'misallocation' to describe how China's state-controlled financial system directs capital toward unproductive political projects rather than economically efficient ones. This highlights a structural weakness in China's economy compared to the market-driven U.S. system.

America’s capital markets offer the key AI advantage over China

Read the full article ↗

Washington Examiner

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