take advantage of

phrase

1

: to make good use of (something) : to profit by (something)

take advantage of an opportunity

We took advantage of the warm weather and did some yard work.

2

a

: to impose on (someone) : to ask for or expect more than is fair or reasonable from (someone)

After a while, I began to think she was taking advantage of me.

He felt like he'd been taken advantage of.

b

: to use (something or someone) unfairly for personal gain

He took advantage of [=exploited] my lack of experience.

It adds that young people in care homes, with learning disabilities, those excluded from school or using drugs or alcohol are particularly vulnerable to being targeted by people who take advantage of them for money, food or drugs.

—Stephen Naysmith

c

: to exploit (someone) sexually

The star shared her experiences of Hollywood bosses who tried to take advantage of her in the early days of her career.

—The Belfast Telegraph Online

Examples of take advantage of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

Loveland has a growing rapport with quarterback Caleb Williams, trust from play-caller Ben Johnson and an expanding role that takes advantage of all his gifts. — Matt Schneidman, New York Times, 7 Sep. 2026

But the factory in southern Germany has to churn a lot of rockets for Isar to fully take advantage of additional launch sites. — Stephen Clark, ArsTechnica, 6 Sep. 2026

Toronto took advantage of the extra chance as Okamoto recorded the go-ahead RBI single. — Kansas City Star, 6 Sep. 2026

Expect that version to take advantage of all the hardware power and mod support PC players can throw at it. — Jordan Minor, PC Magazine, 6 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Rhymes for take advantage of

• above
• foxglove
• hereof
• thereof
• whereof
• dove
• glove
• love
• shove
• hereinabove