exploit

UK:**UK and possibly other pronunciationsUK and possibly other pronunciations noun: /ˈɛksplɔɪt/, verb: /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/

US:USA pronunciation: IPAUSA pronunciation: IPA/ˈɛksplɔɪt/

US:USA pronunciation: respellingUSA pronunciation: respelling(n., v. ik sploit; also n. eksploit)



WordReference Random House Learner's Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•ploit1 /ˈɛksplɔɪt/USA pronunciation   n. [countable]
  1. a striking or notable deed;
    feat.

ex•ploit2 /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/USA pronunciation   v. [+ object]
  1. to use for profit; turn to practical account: to exploit a business opportunity.
  2. to use selfishly for one's own ends:a company that exploits its workers with low pay and no benefits.
ex•ploi•ta•tion /ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃən/USA pronunciation  n. [uncountable]

WordReference Random House Unabridged Dictionary of American English © 2026
ex•ploit1  (eksploit, ik sploit),USA pronunciation n. 
  1. a striking or notable deed;
    feat;
    spirited or heroic act:the exploits of Alexander the Great.
  • Latin explicitum, neuter of explicitus (past participle). See explicit
  • Old French exploit, Anglo-French espleit
  • Middle English exploit, espleit 1350–1400
    accomplishment. See achievement. 

ex•ploit2  (ik sploit),USA pronunciation v.t. 
  1. to utilize, esp. for profit; turn to practical account:to exploit a business opportunity.
  2. to use selfishly for one's own ends:employers who exploit their workers.
  3. to advance or further through exploitation;
    promote:He exploited his new movie through a series of guest appearances.
  • Anglo-French espleiter, derivative of espleit (noun, nominal). See exploit1
  • French exploiter, derivative of exploit (noun, nominal); replacing late Middle English expleiten to achieve
  • 1375–1425
ex•ploita•ble, adj. 
ex•ploit′a•bili•ty, n. 
ex•ploita•tive, ex•ploit•a•to•ry  (ik sploitə tôr′ē, -tōr′ē),USA pronunciation ex•ploitive, adj.  ex•ploiter, n. 

Collins Concise English Dictionary © HarperCollins Publishers::
exploit n /ˈɛksplɔɪt/
  1. a notable deed or feat, esp one that is noble or heroic
vb /ɪkˈsplɔɪt/ (transitive)
  1. to take advantage of (a person, situation, etc), esp unethically or unjustly for one's own ends
  2. to make the best use of
Etymology: 14th Century: from Old French: accomplishment, from Latin explicitum (something) unfolded, from explicāre to explicateexˈploitable adj ˌexploiˈtation, exˈploitage n exˈploitative, exˈploitive adj exˈploitatively, exˈploitively adv
'exploit' also found in these entries (note: many are not synonyms or translations):
Collocations: exploit [an opportunity, a loophole, workers, new technology, resources], exploit their [weakness, weak point, vulnerability], exploit a [business, commercial, unique] opportunity, more...

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