Library / English Dictionary

EXPLOIT

 I. (noun) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

A notable achievement

Example:

the book was her finest effort

Synonyms:

effort; exploit; feat

Classified under:

Nouns denoting acts or actions

Hypernyms ("exploit" is a kind of...):

accomplishment; achievement (the action of accomplishing something)

Hyponyms (each of the following is a kind of "exploit"):

derring-do (brave and heroic feats)

hit ((baseball) a successful stroke in an athletic contest (especially in baseball))

rally; rallying (the feat of mustering strength for a renewed effort)

stunt (a difficult or unusual or dangerous feat; usually done to gain attention)

tour de force (a masterly or brilliant feat)

 II. (verb) 

Sense 1

Meaning:

Use or manipulate to one's advantage

Example:

he works his parents for sympathy

Synonyms:

exploit; work

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "exploit" is one way to...):

apply; employ; use; utilise; utilize (put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose)

Verb group:

work (provoke or excite)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "exploit"):

use (seek or achieve an end by using to one's advantage)

feed; prey (profit from in an exploitatory manner)

avail; help (take or use)

play (use to one's advantage)

make hay (turn to one's advantage)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

exploitation (an act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly))

exploitation (the act of making some area of land or water more profitable or productive or useful)

exploitative; exploitatory (tending to exploit or make use of)

exploiter (a person who uses something or someone selfishly or unethically)

exploitive (tending to exploit or make use of)

Sense 2

Meaning:

Draw from; make good use of

Example:

we must exploit the resources we are given wisely

Synonyms:

exploit; tap

Classified under:

Verbs of eating and drinking

Hypernyms (to "exploit" is one way to...):

apply; employ; use; utilise; utilize (put into service; make work or employ for a particular purpose or for its inherent or natural purpose)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "exploit"):

maximise; maximize (make the most of)

harness (exploit the power of)

mine (get from the earth by excavation)

quarry (extract (something such as stones) from or as if from a quarry)

overexploit (exploit excessively)

commercialize (exploit for maximal profit, usually by sacrificing quality)

milk (exploit as much as possible)

Sentence frame:

Somebody ----s something

Derivation:

exploitation (the act of making some area of land or water more profitable or productive or useful)

Sense 3

Meaning:

Work excessively hard

Example:

he is exploiting the students

Synonyms:

exploit; overwork

Classified under:

Verbs of political and social activities and events

Hypernyms (to "exploit" is one way to...):

put to work; work (cause to work)

Troponyms (each of the following is one way to "exploit"):

overdrive (drive or work too hard)

Sentence frames:

Somebody ----s something
Somebody ----s somebody

Derivation:

exploitation (the act of making some area of land or water more profitable or productive or useful)

exploitative; exploitatory; exploitive (tending to exploit or make use of)

Credits

 Context examples: 

The “social interest” species can be exploited subject to regulation and authorization from the Environment and Water Resources Institute (INEMA), based on specific requirements.

(Over 300 animal species threatened in Bahia, Agência Brasil)

This study suggests that some of the hurdles that stand in the way of exploiting the therapeutic potential of miRNAs could be cleared by instead targeting the gut microbiome.

(New Light on Link between Gut Bacteria, Anxiety, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

TNT exploits the presence of degenerating and necrotic cells within tumors by utilizing MOAbs directed against universal, intracellular nucleosomal determinants consisting of histone H1 and DNA.

(Iodine I 131 Monoclonal Antibody TNT-1/B, NCI Thesaurus)

TOP2-DPCs are most potently formed by pharmaceutical drugs that humans exploit to eradicate cancer cells, making TOP2-DPCs double-edged swords.

(DNA damage caused by cancer treatment reversed by ZATT protein, National Institutes of Health)

Several cytoplasmic docking proteins appear to be recruited by specific ErbB receptors and less exploited by others.

(ERBB Family Signaling Pathway, NCI Thesaurus/KEGG)

The research exploits a new theoretical model based on the scale invariance of the empty space, potentially solving two of astronomy's greatest mysteries.

(There May Be No Dark Matter, Dark Energy in Universe, The Titi Tudorancea Bulletin)

The phenomenon could be exploited in beans, peas, chickpeas, lentils, peanuts, soybeans and other legumes.

(Scientists discover new antibiotic in tropical forest, National Science Foundation)

After this exploit, I walked gently to and fro on the bed, to recover my breath and loss of spirits.

(Gulliver's Travels into several remote nations of the world, by Jonathan Swift)

That winter, at Dawson, Buck performed another exploit, not so heroic, perhaps, but one that put his name many notches higher on the totem-pole of Alaskan fame.

(The Call of the Wild, by Jack London)

The Parthenon came out in its next number patting itself on the back for the stir it had made, sneering at Sir John Value, and exploiting Brissenden's death with ruthless commercialism.

(Martin Eden, by Jack London)