exploitation

noun ex·ploi·ta·tion \ ˌek-ˌsplȯi-ˈtā-shən \

Definition of exploitation

:an act or instance of exploiting

exploitation of natural resources

exploitation of immigrant laborers

clever exploitation of the system

Recent Examples of exploitation from the Web

The Democrats surely remember that Trump wouldn’t have sniffed the presidency without his exploitation of identity politics.

— jamil smith, vanityfair.com, "Why the Democrats’ “Better Deal” Is Political Suicide," 11 Aug. 2017
What’s different is the various stereotypes that were in those black exploitation films.

— mará rose williams, kansascity, "KU professor and writer of ‘Confederate States of America’ talks race and Hollywood," 4 Aug. 2017
A loving homage to lurid 1960s exploitation films, writer-director Anna Biller's playful throwback charts the efforts of a witch (Samantha Robinson) to use her magic powers to seduce a series of men.

— nick schager, Esquire, "Here Are the Must-Stream Movies of August 2017," 28 July 2017
The exploitation of the memory of the war has been the central element of modern Russian ideology.

— The Economist, "Remembering the Great Patriotic War was a political act," 20 July 2017
The bigger problem, of course, has to do with the show's exploitation of the rift itself.

— de elizabeth, Allure, "Why Dean's Hometown Date on "The Bachelorette" Was Super Problematic," 18 July 2017
Your continued exploitation of these types of events result in targeted attacks by other hoaxers.

— nelba márquez-greene, The Atlantic, "'There Is Nothing Libertarian About Attacking Bereaved Parents'," 12 July 2017
At one point, thanks to oil wealth, the Osage people were among the richest Americans, which made them targets for exploitation and murder.

— john warner, chicagotribune.com, "2017's best books thus far, from tearjerkers to titles Rahm should read," 12 July 2017
This is disrespectful , disgusting, and exploitation at its worst!!!

— hannah orenstein, Seventeen, "Kendall and Kylie Jenner Apologize for Their Vintage Shirts After Backlash," 29 June 2017

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'exploitation.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.