1
as in using
to take unfair advantage of
the type of person who exploits a friend's good nature by constantly sponging off of him
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in manipulating
to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means
a politician more than willing to exploit any national tragedy for political gain
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in utilizing
to put into action or service
it will be a shame if you don't exploit your artistic talent to the fullest
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exploiting
In 2023, 43% of all cyber attacks targeted small businesses, highlighting how attackers are actively exploiting the security gaps that come with limited budgets and smaller IT teams.
—
Ro'ee Margalit, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Pep Guardiola’s City have been creating and exploiting pockets of space for many seasons now, and their neighbours were just the latest victims.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
But over the years, the promises of H-2A — such as humane working conditions, free housing and far better wages than back home — have been undermined by the relative ease of exploiting workers due to scant oversight of the program.
—ProPublica, 13 Sep. 2025
Foreign powers such as Russia and China, which challenge America and its allies from Europe to the Middle East to Taiwan and the South China Sea, have long been accused of exploiting such divisions through disinformation campaigns that inflame tensions and weaken confidence in American governance.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Kerberoasting lets attackers steal Active Directory passwords partly by exploiting weak, outdated encryption, which Wyden is now calling out.
—PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
Young Reds star Elly De La Cruz, who is ultra-fast, cost his team an extra base by not exploiting a good chance off his hit to right field.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
For society, all sorts of complex questions arise if the basic science affirms the conditions necessary for exploiting the water.
—Rodrique Ngowi, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Researchers in Taiwan documented this rare case of a predator exploiting its prey’s mating signal to its own advantage.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
Ro'ee Margalit, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
Pep Guardiola’s City have been creating and exploiting pockets of space for many seasons now, and their neighbours were just the latest victims.
—Ahmed Walid, New York Times, 15 Sep. 2025
But over the years, the promises of H-2A — such as humane working conditions, free housing and far better wages than back home — have been undermined by the relative ease of exploiting workers due to scant oversight of the program.
—ProPublica, 13 Sep. 2025
Foreign powers such as Russia and China, which challenge America and its allies from Europe to the Middle East to Taiwan and the South China Sea, have long been accused of exploiting such divisions through disinformation campaigns that inflame tensions and weaken confidence in American governance.
—Amir Daftari, MSNBC Newsweek, 12 Sep. 2025
Kerberoasting lets attackers steal Active Directory passwords partly by exploiting weak, outdated encryption, which Wyden is now calling out.
—PC Magazine, 11 Sep. 2025
Young Reds star Elly De La Cruz, who is ultra-fast, cost his team an extra base by not exploiting a good chance off his hit to right field.
—Tom Krasovic, San Diego Union-Tribune, 11 Sep. 2025
For society, all sorts of complex questions arise if the basic science affirms the conditions necessary for exploiting the water.
—Rodrique Ngowi, Fortune, 7 Sep. 2025
Researchers in Taiwan documented this rare case of a predator exploiting its prey’s mating signal to its own advantage.
—Mrigakshi Dixit, Interesting Engineering, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exploiting
Verb
-
The Harvest Facial showcases Napa’s LIV + GRACE SKINCARE, using a soothing pumpkin enzyme mask to bring out autumn radiance.—
Michael Goldstein,
Forbes.com,
16 Sep. 2025
-
Boiled down in a cauldron using traditional methods, the sulfate-free formula bubbles up into a lovely lather that washes hands without stripping them (the glycerin, as well as coconut, olive, and sweet almond oils, are to thank) and fills the room with its sophisticated, Provençal scents.—
Sophia Panych,
Allure,
16 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Former Formula One driver David Coulthard has accused the McLaren Racing F1 team of manipulating the Italian Grand Prix race results by issuing team orders during the race.—
Saajan Jogia,
MSNBC Newsweek,
9 Sep. 2025
-
The hacker’s malware focuses on stealing cryptocurrency by hijacking and manipulating the user's browser.—
Michael Kan,
PC Magazine,
8 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Bin Laden, through the al-Qaida terrorist organization, targeted the United States for nearly a decade before the 9/11 attacks in 2001, utilizing this large and expansive infrastructure.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
-
There were more than 3,000 new downloads of the IndyCar app over race weekend, with 80,000 fans utilizing the app on race day.—
Bruce Martin,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
More importantly, Penske also describes this dynamic as antitrust behavior from a company abusing what the federal government has already described as Google’s monopoly status in the realm of Internet search.—
Andy Meek,
Forbes.com,
15 Sep. 2025
-
As part of his plea agreement, Styner admitted to abusing a total of a dozen victims.—
City News Service,
Oc Register,
12 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The paper also highlights the potential of digital twins — virtual patient replicas that allow doctors to simulate treatments before applying them in real life.—
Matthew Kayser,
USA Today,
12 Sep. 2025
-
By applying Stoic principles, individuals can filter out the noise, focus on the controllable, and approach financial decisions with clarity rather than fear.—
Andrew Rosen,
Forbes.com,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
While the smart contract space has certainly evolved substantially since initially introduced, with many organizations leveraging these applications, the fact remains that the standards, transparency, and auditability of smart contracts is a work in progress.—
Sean Stein Smith,
Forbes.com,
13 Sep. 2025
-
Counterterrorism strategies must continue to adapt to meet this evolving battleground, leveraging not only military and intelligence tools but also public-private partnerships with tech platforms, AI monitoring, and global diplomacy.—
Richard Frankel,
ABC News,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Note - At the United Nations Science Summit 2025 a session looks at the potential of harnessing prosocial AI to help everyone a chance to thrive.—
Cornelia C. Walther,
Forbes.com,
14 Sep. 2025
-
Perhaps most notably, Google’s parent company, Alphabet, tried harnessing high-flying balloons to beam internet access to underserved areas with Project Loon, but the company later shut down the project.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
11 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Russia's Influence Operations in 2016, Russia conducted extensive campaigns during the presidential election, employing fake personas, troll farms, and manipulated content to inflame racial, ideological, and cultural divisions.—
Amir Daftari,
MSNBC Newsweek,
12 Sep. 2025
-
Filed on behalf of two asylum seekers detained outside the San Diego federal building’s immigration court this year, the lawsuit claims that the federal government is employing tactics that violate individuals’ due process rights.—
Alexandra Mendoza,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
12 Sep. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Exploiting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exploiting. Accessed 17 Sep. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share