exploited
exploited — verb
- exploitedpresent simple I / you / we / they
- exploiteds3rd person singular
- exploiteding-ing form
- exploitededpast simple
1. to make good use of a resource, opportunity, or situation so that it produces a
to make good use of a resource, opportunity, or situation so that it produces a benefit or result you want.
The engineering firm exploited satellite imagery to improve flood warning systems across Southeast Asia.
exploit + noun phrase (technology) + to-infinitive
Minho exploited every chance to practice his English during the summer program in London.
exploit + noun phrase (chance/opportunity)
Local farmers exploited the rich volcanic soil to grow high-quality coffee beans for export.
Greta exploited her knowledge of social media to build a large audience for her art.
- utilize
more formal and technical; suggests practical use
- harness
implies capturing and controlling a natural force or resource
- make the most of
less formal, common in everyday speech
文法句型
exploit + noun phrase (resource/opportunity/situation)
be exploited + prepositional phrase
用法筆記
This sense is neutral or positive — the exploited item is a resource or opportunity, not a person. The focus is on effective use rather than unfair treatment.
常見錯誤
2. to treat someone unfairly or selfishly for your own gain, especially by making t
to treat someone unfairly or selfishly for your own gain, especially by making them work hard, paying them too little, or taking advantage of their weak position.
The garment factory exploited young workers by paying them less than two dollars a day.
exploit + human object (workers) + by + gerund phrase
When her manager asked her to work late without pay, Lotte felt exploited.
passive: feel exploited
The documentary revealed how child refugees had been exploited by criminal gangs in the capital.
Defne warned her classmates not to let the translation agency exploit them with unfair contracts.
- take advantage of
less formal; can be neutral or negative depending on context
- mistreat
broader; includes physical and emotional harm
- abuse
stronger; suggests deliberate cruelty or misuse of power
文法句型
exploit + noun phrase (person/group)
be exploited + by + agent
exploit + noun phrase + for + purpose
用法筆記
This sense is strongly negative and carries moral judgment. The object is typically a person or a vulnerable group. Distinguish from sense 1, where the object is a resource or opportunity.
常見錯誤
exploited — adjective
- exploitedpositive
- more exploitedcomparative
- most exploitedsuperlative
1. describes a person or group that has been treated unfairly for someone else's ga
describes a person or group that has been treated unfairly for someone else's gain, or a resource that has been fully developed or made use of.
The exploited workers walked out and refused to return until their pay was raised.
attributive: exploited + noun (workers)
Eitan felt exploited because his unpaid internship required sixty hours of work each week.
predicative with 'feel': feel exploited
The region's exploited forests provided timber for export, but little profit stayed in local villages.
A group of exploited farmworkers organised a union to negotiate for safer working conditions.
- mistreated
focuses on unfair or cruel treatment rather than economic exploitation
- oppressed
stronger; suggests long-term systemic injustice and lack of freedom
- overworked
narrower; specifically about being made to work too hard
文法句型
be/get/feel exploited
exploited + noun (workers/people/resources)
用法筆記
As an adjective, 'exploited' is most commonly used in social and political contexts to describe vulnerable groups. It can also describe natural resources that have been heavily used, though this use is less frequent.