take advantage of

idiomatic phrase

1
: to make good use of (something) : to profit by (something)
take advantage of an opportunity
We took advantage of the warm weather and did some yard work.
2
a
: to impose on (someone) : to ask for or expect more than is fair or reasonable from (someone)
After a while, I began to think she was taking advantage of me.
He felt like he'd been taken advantage of.
b
: to use (something or someone) unfairly for personal gain
He took advantage of [=exploited] my lack of experience.
It adds that young people in care homes, with learning disabilities, those excluded from school or using drugs or alcohol are particularly vulnerable to being targeted by people who take advantage of them for money, food or drugs.Stephen Naysmith
c
: to exploit (someone) sexually
The star shared her experiences of Hollywood bosses who tried to take advantage of her in the early days of her career.The Belfast Telegraph Online

Examples of take advantage of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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And while Musk is able to take advantage of SpaceX's Falcon 9 rocket – one of the most active in the world – for Starlink deployments, Bezos doesn't yet have that luxury. Eric Lagatta, USA Today, 14 June 2025 Cook, Cawthon said, had failed to take advantage of chances to turn his life around during previous stints incarcerated — and once he was released from jail or prison in those instances, his behavior did not improve. Alex Brizee, Idaho Statesman, 14 June 2025 Those who can’t make it to the location can also take advantage of Grubhub and Seamless’s snack-and-stream pairing, the limited edition Hot Fellas Bakery Bundle. Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Forbes.com, 13 June 2025 From there, take advantage of either offer you desire. Tyler Everett, MSNBC Newsweek, 13 June 2025 See All Example Sentences for take advantage of

Word History

First Known Use

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of take advantage of was in 1618

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Cite this Entry

“Take advantage of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20advantage%20of. Accessed 18 Jun. 2025.

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