Synonyms of exploiting

exploiting

verb

present participle of exploit

1

as in using

to take unfair advantage of

the type of person who exploits a friend's good nature by constantly sponging off of him

Synonyms & Similar Words

• using
• abusing
• leveraging
• manipulating
• milking
• playing (on or upon)
• imposing (on or upon)
• pimping
• capitalizing (on)
• walking on
• working
• cheating
• trading on
• cashing in (on)
• mistreating
• overcharging
• commercializing
• sticking
• fleecing
• bleeding
• soaking
• skinning
• commodifying
• jerking around

2

as in manipulating

to control or take advantage of by artful, unfair, or insidious means

a politician more than willing to exploit any national tragedy for political gain

Synonyms & Similar Words

• manipulating
• playing (upon)
• deceiving
• maneuvering
• tricking
• duping
• plotting
• jockeying
• engineering
• devising
• fooling
• deluding
• scheming
• hoodwinking
• defrauding
• bluffing
• swindling
• intriguing
• kidding
• masterminding
• gulling
• fleecing
• hoaxing
• conning
• finagling
• arranging
• contriving
• chiseling
• taking in
• cozening
• beguiling
• finessing
• snowing
• shanghaiing
• cheating
• machinating
• hustling

3

as in utilizing

to put into action or service

it will be a shame if you don't exploit your artistic talent to the fullest

Synonyms & Similar Words

• using
• utilizing
• applying
• employing
• harnessing
• operating
• exercising
• manipulating
• drawing on
• making use of
• handling
• wielding
• bringing to bear
• working
• directing
• running
• recycling
• reusing
• cannibalizing

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• ignoring
• neglecting
• misusing
• misapplying

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of exploiting

Although exploiting these services could reveal a task’s flag, doing so was outside the authorized scope. — Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 5 Nov. 2026

Led by Will, a reckless 16-year-old struggling with his mother’s death, the friends begin stealing firearms from neighbors and exploiting the program to make thousands of dollars. — Marta Balaga, Variety, 5 Nov. 2026

Bitdefender's decision to make this problem public may encourage Google to plug the gap quickly and prevent bad actors from exploiting it. — James Peckham, PC Magazine, 5 Nov. 2026

Experts say the greater danger may not be hackers targeting individual homes, but exploiting vulnerabilities across millions of identical devices. — Inaya Folarin Iman, CBS News, 4 Nov. 2026

Those harms are alleged to include exploiting psychological vulnerabilities, targeting people’s fears and discouraging them from voting. — Emma L. Briant, The Conversation, 3 Nov. 2026

China, in other words, is exploiting the disunity between the United States and its partners. — Theodore Bunzel, Foreign Affairs, 2 Nov. 2026

As riot police have adapted their tactics and weapons, demonstrators have become adept at anticipating police maneuvers and exploiting gaps in security. — Saskya Vandoorne, CNN Money, 30 Oct. 2026

Three once high-flying brothers convicted of exploiting their wealth and access to luxury real estate to drug and rape dozens of women were sentenced Tuesday to 30 years in prison. — Arkansas Online, 28 Oct. 2026