as in exploiting
to take unfair advantage of
unscrupulous people trying to milk the welfare system for all it's worth
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Recent Examples of milking
The corporate overlords may have put the break on the movies, but the streamer has been regularly pumping out TV shows in order to keep milking the franchise dry.
—
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026
This is due to too many undercard fights, Netflix airing ads during their live events, as well as the streamer milking the whole endeavor for as long as possible to increase their viewership numbers, since Netflix measures its viewership by views multiplied by hours watched.
—Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 May 2026
Potter said companies across the travel industry are seeing the same trend – and milking it.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Simon has been milking for forty-eight years.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Justin Trudeau’s eldest son, an aspiring musician, is milking his dad’s relationship with Katy Perry for his own art.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
And Ainesworth threw cold water on the notion that firefighters are milking the workers’ compensation system.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
In 1964, the company started milking cows in Moore Haven in Glades County.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Bribing officials, milking national economies, and cozying up to corrupt politicians and dictators have long been essential features of the enterprise.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
David Fear, Rolling Stone, 25 May 2026
This is due to too many undercard fights, Netflix airing ads during their live events, as well as the streamer milking the whole endeavor for as long as possible to increase their viewership numbers, since Netflix measures its viewership by views multiplied by hours watched.
—Marlow Stern, Variety, 17 May 2026
Potter said companies across the travel industry are seeing the same trend – and milking it.
—Zach Wichter, USA Today, 29 Apr. 2026
Simon has been milking for forty-eight years.
—Literary Hub, 23 Apr. 2026
Justin Trudeau’s eldest son, an aspiring musician, is milking his dad’s relationship with Katy Perry for his own art.
—Jami Ganz, New York Daily News, 8 Apr. 2026
And Ainesworth threw cold water on the notion that firefighters are milking the workers’ compensation system.
—Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 7 Apr. 2026
In 1964, the company started milking cows in Moore Haven in Glades County.
—Miami Herald Archives, Miami Herald, 5 Apr. 2026
Bribing officials, milking national economies, and cozying up to corrupt politicians and dictators have long been essential features of the enterprise.
—Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 23 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for milking
Verb
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Researchers have described humans as highly omnivorous, exploiting a wide range of plant, animal and fungal foods across environments as disparate as the Arctic tundra and equatorial rainforest.—
Scott Travers,
Forbes.com,
6 June 2026
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Traditionally, the oldest fires are believed to be the result of exploiting natural fires.—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
Verb
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The reforms would also require some facilities to assess the feasibility of using safer technologies or processes in their work, among other changes.—
Evan Bush,
NBC news,
30 May 2026
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Zeferjahn had struggled earlier in the season, when the Angels were using him for multiple innings.—
Jeff Fletcher,
Oc Register,
30 May 2026
Verb
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Tom accuses me of physically abusing Nick Bilton.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2026
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Lots of presidents have deported migrants who are here unlawfully, but Trump has made a show of sending some to a foreign prison notorious for abusing inmates.—
Conor Friedersdorf,
The Atlantic,
6 June 2026
Verb
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Materia is a functional and inclusive fashion brand that merges aesthetics with accessible design, leveraging adaptive constructions and ergonomic design principles.—
Andrea Onate,
Footwear News,
28 May 2026
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The agent intends to finish its job, leveraging the path of least resistance.—
Shreyans Mehta,
Forbes.com,
28 May 2026
Verb
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The ever-expanding, replicating, and manipulating series of rooms take scraps and memories of those who pass through it, expanding into something that defies personality or ease.—
Fran Hoepfner,
Vulture,
2 June 2026
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Uribe sued Cepeda for allegedly manipulating witnesses, but the Supreme Court cleared Cepeda of wrongdoing.—
Chad de Guzman,
Time,
1 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Milking.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/milking. Accessed 10 Jun. 2026.
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