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
Tucker will look to take advantage of that in 2025 or 2026.
—Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Business leaders in Greenland and Denmark say taking advantage of Greenland's rich natural resources, including metals and rare earth minerals, to transform the local economy will only be possible with significant overseas investment.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 11 Mar. 2025
The Hoosiers, meanwhile, will look to take advantage of the tournament to battle from the bottom half of the Big Ten standings and straight into March Madness.
—Justin L. MacK, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025
As more of the adapters have shipped to customers in recent months, Ford EV drivers have increasingly taken advantage of the Supercharger availability and reliability.
—Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes, 11 Mar. 2025
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Faisal Kutty, Newsweek, 11 Mar. 2025
Business leaders in Greenland and Denmark say taking advantage of Greenland's rich natural resources, including metals and rare earth minerals, to transform the local economy will only be possible with significant overseas investment.
—Willem Marx, NPR, 11 Mar. 2025
The Hoosiers, meanwhile, will look to take advantage of the tournament to battle from the bottom half of the Big Ten standings and straight into March Madness.
—Justin L. MacK, Axios, 11 Mar. 2025
As more of the adapters have shipped to customers in recent months, Ford EV drivers have increasingly taken advantage of the Supercharger availability and reliability.
—Sam Abuelsamid, Forbes, 11 Mar. 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 14 Mar. 2025.
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