exploitative

adjective ex·ploit·ative \ ik-ˈsplȯi-tə-tiv , ek-ˌsplȯi- \

|Updated on: 24 Jul 2018

Definition of exploitative

: exploiting or tending to exploit; especially : unfairly or cynically using another person or group for profit or advantage

exploitative terms of employment

an exploitative film

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exploitatively

adverb

Recent Examples of exploitative from the Web

And indeed, the four-minute video sparked a fierce backlash from some who viewed it as exploitative of Black pain for commercial purposes — but isn’t that the very point Childish Gambino was trying to make?

— refinery29.com, "What Americana Means (And Doesn't) In 2018: From Childish Gambino To Roseanne," 3 July 2018
In most cases, pretending to be psychic is just one of many exploitative schemes for these imposters.

— aliza kelly faragher, Allure, "How to Tap Into Your Own Psychic Abilities," 2 July 2018
Game making as a whole is so especially rife with exploitative work conditions that the practice gets its own special, cutesy name.

— steven strom, Ars Technica, "Prey: Mooncrash’s dystopic nightmare hits a little too close to home," 28 June 2018
Even so, prosecutors in New York said Moseley ran an exploitative payday lending operation that preyed on financially vulnerable consumers seeking short-term loans.

— steve vockrodt, kansascity, "Another Kansas City payday lender is off to prison, this time for 10 years," 12 June 2018
This would be more ethical and less exploitative, and might well produce just as many great stars, at a much lower personal price.

— laurent dubois, The Atlantic, "How Not to Scout for Soccer Talent," 14 June 2018
The concept of amateurism is fundamentally elitist, preys disproportionately on the poorer classes in college athletics, and becomes progressively exploitative as revenues rise.

— tim sullivan, The Courier-Journal, "Adidas' relationship with AAU looks sketchy, but it's just free market," 17 May 2018
This would also make the whole system less exploitative, so that moms like Kylia Carter didn't feel like their sons were treated like indentured servants.

— shawn windsor, Detroit Free Press, "Ending exploitation of athletes would be good start to fixing NCAA," 13 May 2018
This would recognize how different networks of people have often worked together in scientific projects and the cultural exchanges that helped them–even if those exchanges were unequal and exploitative.

— rohan deb roy, Smithsonian, "Science Still Bears the Fingerprints of Colonialism," 10 Apr. 2018

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