exploitation

noun

ex·​ploi·​ta·​tion ˌek-ˌsplȯi-ˈtā-shən 

: an act or instance of exploiting

exploitation of natural resources

exploitation of immigrant laborers

clever exploitation of the system

Examples of exploitation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When access depends on informal systems, people become vulnerable to exploitation. — Raul Roman, NPR, 25 July 2026

If one of the world's leading AI companies can be surprised by an unexpected exploitation chain, organizations with fewer resources should be even more cautious about relying on assumptions instead of independent verification. — Emil Sayegh, Forbes.com, 23 July 2026

Later, in Capital, Marx warns that soil depletion caused by the heedless exploitation of nature would threaten the physical foundation of society itself. — Literary Hub, 23 July 2026

OpenAI said Tuesday that AI is accelerating the discovery and exploitation of vulnerabilities, which means model security and safety need to keep up. — Ashley Capoot, CNBC, 22 July 2026

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from exploiter "to exploit entry 2" + -ation -ation

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for exploitation

• abdication
• aberration
• abjuration
• abnegation
• abrogation
• acceptation
• acclamation
• acclimation
• accusation
• activation
• actuation
• acylation