exploitation

noun

ex·​ploi·​ta·​tion ˌek-ˌsplȯi-ˈtā-shən How to pronounce exploitation (audio)
: an act or instance of exploiting
exploitation of natural resources
exploitation of immigrant laborers
clever exploitation of the system

Examples of exploitation in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
The series treats her journey as a case study in how institutions blur the line between justice and exploitation when control becomes the ultimate objective. Isabella Wandermurem, Time, 27 Oct. 2025 Adding further fuel were the recent supply chain scandals in Italy’s high-end pipeline, which linked marquee brands including Dior, Valentino, Loro Piana, Giorgio Armani and Tod’s, among others, to subcontractors allegedly engaged in sweatshop schemes and labor exploitation. Martino Carrera, Footwear News, 24 Oct. 2025 He was also charged with four counts of exploitation of a vulnerable adult, financial fraud, false imprisonment and domestic violence, per the Lancaster County Detention Center. Kc Baker, PEOPLE, 22 Oct. 2025 Cheating, exploitation, performative metrics and prestige obsession cannot go unchallenged. MSNBC Newsweek, 22 Oct. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exploitation

Word History

Etymology

borrowed from French, from exploiter "to exploit entry 2" + -ation -ation

First Known Use

1795, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of exploitation was in 1795

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exploitation.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exploitation. Accessed 29 Oct. 2025.

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