exploit
verb/ɪkˈsplɔɪt/
/ɪkˈsplɔɪt/
Verb Forms
| present simple I / you / we / they exploit | /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/ /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/ |
| he / she / it exploits | /ɪkˈsplɔɪts/ /ɪkˈsplɔɪts/ |
| past simple exploited | /ɪkˈsplɔɪtɪd/ /ɪkˈsplɔɪtɪd/ |
| past participle exploited | /ɪkˈsplɔɪtɪd/ /ɪkˈsplɔɪtɪd/ |
| -ing form exploiting | /ɪkˈsplɔɪtɪŋ/ /ɪkˈsplɔɪtɪŋ/ |
- exploit something (disapproving) to treat a person or situation as an opportunity to gain an advantage for yourself
- He exploited his father's name to get himself a job.
- She realized that her youth and inexperience were being exploited.
- The opposition parties will always exploit government problems to their own advantage.
Extra Examples- He pursued his own interests, cynically exploiting his privileged position as trustee.
- They were hoping to exploit any weaknesses the other team might have.
- This legal loophole has been ruthlessly exploited by many unscrupulous investors.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- mercilessly
- ruthlessly
- cynically
- …
- exploit somebody (disapproving) to treat somebody unfairly by making them work and not giving them much in return
- What is being done to stop employers from exploiting young people?
- The workers are ruthlessly exploited by their employers.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- mercilessly
- ruthlessly
- cynically
- …
- exploit something to use something well in order to gain as much from it as possible
- She fully exploits the humour of her role in the play.
- The company has been successful in exploiting new technology to the full.
Extra Examples- Birds exploit these wind patterns to the fullest.
- The team were quick to exploit their competitive advantage.
- The architect has cleverly exploited new materials and building techniques.
- She was eager to exploit her discovery commercially.
Oxford Collocations Dictionaryadverb- extensively
- heavily
- fully
- …
- be determined to
- be keen to
- hope to
- …
- to develop or use something for business or industry
- exploit something No minerals have yet been exploited in Antarctica.
- exploit something for something countries exploiting the rainforests for hardwood
- Companies are moving in to exploit the natural resources of the area.
Word OriginMiddle English: from Old French esploit (noun), based on Latin explicare ‘unfold’, from ex- ‘out’ + plicare ‘to fold’. The early notion of ‘success, progress’ gave rise to the sense ‘attempt to capture’, ‘military expedition’, hence the current sense of the noun. Verb senses (mid 19th cent.) are from modern French exploiter.
Check pronunciation:
exploit