VocabauraVOCABAURA

exploitation

noun

Simple meaning

The improper use of something for selfish purposes.

Pronunciation

Say it like this:

ehksploytayshuhn

Say the bold part a little louder.

US device voice
IPA pronunciation (US)

ɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃən

This word is pronounced essentially the same in American and British English, so one transcription covers both.

IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) is a standard way of writing speech sounds.

Word Review

Definition

Everyday modern meanings first, grouped by part of speech.

noun

  1. An act that exploits or victimizes someone (treats them unfairly)

    “Capitalistic exploitation of the working class.”

  2. The improper use of something for selfish purposes.

  3. The act or result of forcibly depriving someone of something to which they have a right.

  4. The act of utilizing something; industry.

  5. The marketing and promotion of a film.

Word at a Glance

Difficulty
B2 · Upper Intermediate
Frequency
Moderately Common
Typical Use
Neutral / general English

Word Aura™

How this word commonly comes across.

Word Aura is being prepared for this meaning.

More ways to use exploitation

  • “Capitalistic exploitation of the working class.”noun

Share your sentence

Write your own example sentence using “exploitation”. We review each one before it appears.

Common Patterns and Combinations

How this word naturally appears with others.

sexual exploitationcommercial exploitationresource exploitationcapitalist exploitationcolonial exploitationclass exploitationexploitation des

Tap the highlighted word to open its own entry.

More about this wordSynonyms, forms, origin

Synonyms

Sense: act that exploits

Use This Word

See how this word sounds in a real sentence.

Ask Vocabaura

Understand the word your way.

What Does It Mean Here?

Words can change meaning depending on context.

Use it yourself

Knowing “exploitation” starts when you use it. Pick a next step, all free.

Dictionary data from Wiktionary via the Free Dictionary API. Simple meanings, combinations and word intelligence are built from verified reference data, no AI is used to load this page.