exploit
1 Americannoun
verb (used with object)
-
to utilize, especially for profit; turn to practical account.
to exploit a business opportunity.
-
to use selfishly for one's own ends.
employers who exploit their workers.
-
to advance or further through exploitation; promote.
He exploited his new movie through a series of guest appearances.
noun
-
-
a flaw in hardware or software that is vulnerable to hacking or other cyberattacks.
-
a piece of software that takes advantage of such a flaw to compromise a computer system or network.
-
-
(in a video game) the use of a bug or flaw in game design to a player’s advantage or to the disadvantage of other players.
noun
verb
-
to take advantage of (a person, situation, etc), esp unethically or unjustly for one's own ends
-
to make the best use of
to exploit natural resources
Usage
What does exploit mean? As a verb, exploit commonly means to selfishly take advantage of someone in order to profit from them or otherwise benefit oneself. As a noun, exploit means a notable or heroic accomplishment.As a verb, exploit can also be used in a more neutral way that doesn’t imply selfishness: to make the best use of something, especially an opportunity, to create a profit or other benefit. But when the verb is applied to people, it is always used negatively. The noun form of the verb exploit is exploitation, and the adjective form is exploitative, as in exploitative practices. Example: I know you’re trying to live up to the exploits and success of your father, but exploiting your workers to maximize profit is not the way to do it.
Related Words
See achievement.
Other Word Forms
- exploitability noun
- exploitable adjective
- exploitation noun
- exploitative adjective
- exploitatory adjective
- exploiter noun
- exploitive adjective
- nonexploitable adjective
- nonexploitative adjective
- nonexploitive adjective
- unexploitable adjective
- unexploitative adjective
- unexploitive adjective
Etymology
Origin of exploit1
First recorded in 1350–1400; Middle English exploit, espleit, from Old French exploit, Anglo-French espleit, from Latin explicitum, neuter of explicitus “unfolded, set forth,” variant past participle of explicāre “to unfold, unroll, smooth, reveal”; explicate
Origin of exploit1
First recorded in 1300–50; from French exploiter, derivative of exploit (noun); replacing late Middle English expleiten “to achieve,” from Anglo-French, Middle French espleiter, espleitier, derivative of espleit, esploit, expleit, exploit (noun), from Latin explicitum “matter settled, displayed,” noun use of explicitus “unfolded, revealed,” variant past participle of explicāre; exploit 1
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.
Issuers quickly exploited a loophole in the new rule, however, and the number of sub-$15 million IPOs on Nasdaq in 2025 surged past the total for 2024.
From Barron's
China has stayed in the game because of strong algorithms, data and energy, but the U.S. leads by exploiting its computing advantage.
Not all hope is lost, however, for short sellers hoping to exploit this new research.
From Barron's
“The empathy exploit. They’re exploiting a bug in Western civilization, which is the empathy response. So, I think, you know, empathy is good, but you need to think it through.”
From Los Angeles Times
Should have been a weakness England exploited while the series was alive.
From BBC
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.
