exploiting
Americannoun
-
the act of utilizing something, especially for profit.
More resources should be allocated to the exploiting of the local market by attracting more business to the region.
-
the act of using a person or thing selfishly for one’s own ends.
When I saw the commercial, I was appalled at the exploiting of children's sorrow for corporate gain.
adjective
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Etymology
Origin of exploiting
First recorded in 1830–40; exploit 2 ( def. ) + -ing 1 ( def. ) for the noun senses; exploit 2 ( def. ) + -ing 2 ( def. ) for the adjective sense
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
One of the consequences of this trend has been the deterioration of strategies exploiting what’s known as “post-earnings announcement drift,” or PEAD.
From MarketWatch • Jun. 3, 2026
New waste licencing rules will be laid out this week aimed at stopping waste carriers from exploiting loopholes and illegally dumping rubbish in England, the government has said.
From BBC • May 18, 2026
The company is exploiting the Vaca Muerta play in Argentina, which to my mind is like the Permian Basin 15 years ago.
From Barron's • May 15, 2026
Scammers have been exploiting the confusion, luring shipping companies to transfer substantial sums into cryptocurrency wallets they claim belongs to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 9, 2026
“That’s what you’re exploiting your workers for” said Meg.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
