exploited

Everyday

1. Treated unfairly by someone who uses you for their own gain, for example made to work hard for very little pay. tree →
2. Used fully and well, such as a resource or a chance. tree →
3. (computers) A weakness in a program that has been used by someone to break in. tree →

In the lessons

In history and ethics lessons it describes workers, children or countries treated unfairly. In geography it describes natural resources that have been used: «the forest was exploited for wood». In games and computers it means a weakness was used. It tells the reader that someone took advantage. Phrases: exploited workers, feel exploited, be exploited by.

Examples

• Long ago, many children were exploited in factories and mines. tree →
• The workers felt exploited because they were paid so little. tree →
• The team exploited every chance to score. tree →
• The coal under the hills was exploited for a hundred years. tree →
• The hacker exploited a weakness in the website. tree →
• She felt exploited when her friends only called her for help with homework. tree →
• Wind power is not yet fully exploited in some countries. tree →

Note

Base verb: exploit; noun: exploitation. «An exploit» (stress on EX-) can also mean a brave or exciting deed: «tales of his exploits». The verb is stressed on -PLOIT. The unfair sense is the most common and is negative; the resource sense is neutral.