exploited

[ik-sploi-tid]

adjective

1. utilized or made practical use of, especially for profit.

   Edible insects are a widely exploited food source among many of the world’s Indigenous populations.

2. used selfishly by someone for their own ends.

   Every one of these exploited workers shared stories of their inhumane working conditions and their determination to fight back.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of exploit.

Other Word Forms

• half-exploited adjective
• self-exploited adjective
• unexploited adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of exploited¹

exploit ² ( def. ) + -ed ² ( def. )

Example Sentences

A Bradford Crown Court jury was told the "wedding" in the early 2000s to Raja Zulqurnean, was attended by the victim's key social worker despite care home staff fearing that she was being exploited.

From BBC

The administration immediately exploited Kirk’s death to target some who critiqued him.

From Salon

Sunday's opponents Arsenal have certainly exploited such situations.

From BBC

Indian outsourcing firms have systematically exploited the H-1B system, turning it into what critics call an “outsourcing visa” that enables wage theft and creates indentured servitude conditions for foreign workers.

From Los Angeles Times

The Cabinet Office said the tool "scans new policies and procedures for weaknesses before they can be exploited" and claims it could make policies "fraud-proof" before they are implemented.

From BBC

Related Words

• abused www.thesaurus.com
• oppressed 
• overburdened www.thesaurus.com