exploiting

American  

[ik-sploi-ting] / ɪkˈsplɔɪ tɪŋ /

noun

1. 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.

2. 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.

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adjective

1. using a person or thing selfishly or for profit.

   In late czarist Russia, activists began to galvanize workers and peasants against the exploiting landowners, industrialists, and state.

Other Word Forms

• self-exploiting
  adjective

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

“The result was a highly lucrative film franchise that presented itself as sympathetic to Indigenous struggles,” the lawsuit said, “all while silently exploiting a real Indigenous youth behind the scenes.”

From Los Angeles Times • May 7, 2026

The warning comes weeks after AI company Anthropic cautioned that its yet-to-be-released "Mythos" model was incredibly adept at finding and exploiting such weaknesses.

From Barron's • May 7, 2026

He said they were "exploiting the gap in enforcement" outside the council's normal working hours.

From BBC • May 6, 2026

The world is burning and everyone is exploiting it for their own gain.

From Salon • May 1, 2026

Men of consequence and means, who had made their fortunes exploiting laborers in their factories, drifted along next to those who had lost their lives toiling on those same factory machines.

From "Ophie's Ghosts" by Justina Ireland

Related Words

• crooked
• fraudulent
• nefarious
• rotten
• shady
• unethical
• unscrupulous
• untrustworthy
• venal