as in exploiting
to take unfair advantage of
unscrupulous people trying to milk the welfare system for all it's worth
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Recent Examples of milking
Veyron production may have ended, but Bugatti is still milking the idea.
—
New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2026
Four plays later, with just over two minutes left in the game, the Seahawks ran a pass play instead of just running the ball and milking the clock.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Cardozo added that all milking operations have ceased, and some beef and non-lactating dairy cattle are still grazing.
—Richard Halstead, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
Netflix milking the hype around its biggest show in new, previously unannounced ways?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2026
Haul a steaming cup outside where, milking fall weather, the Potholder is welcoming diners on its dog-friendly patio.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2025
There were multiple ways for Texas State to end the game, including milking the clock by running up all three downs and kicking a field goal.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 4 Oct. 2025
But even with Mizzou being able to do what it’s been doing — manhandling the trenches and milking the clock — the results were somewhat spoiled.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2025
Most teams walked the ball upcourt on almost every possession and rarely, if ever, looked to create pace while milking the shot clock and playing slowdown basketball.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
New Atlas, 6 Feb. 2026
Four plays later, with just over two minutes left in the game, the Seahawks ran a pass play instead of just running the ball and milking the clock.
—Saad Yousuf, New York Times, 3 Feb. 2026
Cardozo added that all milking operations have ceased, and some beef and non-lactating dairy cattle are still grazing.
—Richard Halstead, Mercury News, 26 Jan. 2026
Netflix milking the hype around its biggest show in new, previously unannounced ways?
—Jason P. Frank, Vulture, 5 Jan. 2026
Haul a steaming cup outside where, milking fall weather, the Potholder is welcoming diners on its dog-friendly patio.
—Michael Deeds, Idaho Statesman, 23 Oct. 2025
There were multiple ways for Texas State to end the game, including milking the clock by running up all three downs and kicking a field goal.
—Caleb Yum, Austin American Statesman, 4 Oct. 2025
But even with Mizzou being able to do what it’s been doing — manhandling the trenches and milking the clock — the results were somewhat spoiled.
—Quentin Corpuel, Kansas City Star, 21 Sep. 2025
Most teams walked the ball upcourt on almost every possession and rarely, if ever, looked to create pace while milking the shot clock and playing slowdown basketball.
—Robert Marvi, MSNBC Newsweek, 30 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for milking
Verb
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Quantum systems promise new ways to solve specific classes of problems by exploiting superposition and entanglement.—
Matthew S Williams,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
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The agency is working with its partners to stop hackers from exploiting any of the vulnerabilities identified in the report, said Nick Andersen, CISA’s executive assistant director for cybersecurity.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
5 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The reversal follows a string of high-profile shootings involving federal immigration agents in which eyewitness statements and video evidence have called into question claims made to justify using deadly force.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
14 Feb. 2026
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The probe was delayed from 2022, and headed for the asteroid Psyche, using a Mars-gravity assist and not arriving until August 2029.—
Richard Tribou,
The Orlando Sentinel,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The couple was accused of abusing Ethan and their 3-year-old son.—
DeJanay Booth-Singleton,
CBS News,
6 Feb. 2026
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According to the lawsuit, Myer allegedly began abusing his police powers against Gabriele in September 2021.—
Justin Muszynski,
Hartford Courant,
6 Feb. 2026
Verb
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But as legacy media recedes, a growing cohort of famous felons are leveraging new media to rehab their images.—
Andrew Zucker,
HollywoodReporter,
13 Feb. 2026
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Kohler is charged with leveraging his retail and client expertise to further accelerate the group’s ambitions.—
Miles Socha,
Footwear News,
13 Feb. 2026
Verb
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In other cases, extremists have been convicted of manipulating children into cutting themselves or even killing pets on camera, records show.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
10 Feb. 2026
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His belief that a conspiratorial coterie of people is manipulating American policy.—
David Remnick,
New Yorker,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Milking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/milking. Accessed 15 Feb. 2026.
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