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
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
The Belfast Telegraph OnlineExamples of take advantage of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
The research found that only half of the performance gains achieved by switching to a more advanced AI model were due to the model itself; the other half came from users adapting their prompts to take advantage of its capabilities.
—Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Guess may be in a state of transition, but the Los Angeles denim brand is still taking advantage of big moments on the fashion calendar.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 18 Sep. 2025
Related Articles Bluemercury’s Anniversary Sale runs from September 18 to the 28 this year, and during those 10 days, customers can take advantage of a 15-percent discount on all purchases over $150, as well as 20 percent off on purchases of $300 or more.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
Instead, Wilson took advantage of another miscommunication in the secondary that resulted in a near back-breaking score at this stage in the game.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2025
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Sheryl Estrada, Fortune, 18 Sep. 2025
Guess may be in a state of transition, but the Los Angeles denim brand is still taking advantage of big moments on the fashion calendar.
—Angela Velasquez, Sourcing Journal, 18 Sep. 2025
Related Articles Bluemercury’s Anniversary Sale runs from September 18 to the 28 this year, and during those 10 days, customers can take advantage of a 15-percent discount on all purchases over $150, as well as 20 percent off on purchases of $300 or more.
—Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 18 Sep. 2025
Instead, Wilson took advantage of another miscommunication in the secondary that resulted in a near back-breaking score at this stage in the game.
—Nick Harris, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 18 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take advantage of
Cite this Entry
“Take advantage of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20advantage%20of. Accessed 20 Sep. 2025.
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