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

In a speech in October, French President Emmanuel Macron drew a link between the exploitation of technology and democratic backsliding. —James P. Rubin, Foreign Affairs, 19 Nov. 2025

The indictment against Martin encompasses 29 charges in all, from conspiring to provide material to terrorists, to murder-for-fire, child exploitation and cyberstalking. —Mike Levine, ABC News, 18 Nov. 2025

What could a literary non-hottie know about the exploitation of femme, highly sexualized women—women who look and act like Oates have no compassion or love for women like Marilyn. —Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 18 Nov. 2025

But more Meta users are reporting being suspended for breaching the platform's community standards on child exploitation without any explanation and no way to talk to a real person to fix it. —Joshua Sidorowicz, CBS News, 17 Nov. 2025

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