- present participle of exploit.
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
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.
Nonetheless, Claude used "basic techniques, such as exploiting weak passwords and unauthenticated endpoints," the blog continued.
From Barron's ● Jul. 31, 2026
A UK government spokesperson said: "Every death in the Channel is a tragedy and a stark reminder of the dangers posed by criminal gangs exploiting vulnerable people for profit."
From BBC ● Jul. 30, 2026
“The systems in each voting location are not connected to the Internet or to each other, and many methods for exploiting them rely on physical proximity.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 17, 2026
Whether the genre is romantasy or autofiction, making up stories often demands making up stories about real people — exploiting them — to serve a narrative purpose.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 14, 2026
Luckily, during my junior year, I’d discovered a bug in the school’s online library software, and by exploiting it, I could access any book in the school’s online library, including Anorak’s Almanac.
From "Ready Player One: A Novel" by Ernest Cline
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.
