exploited

[ ik-sploi-tid ]

adjective

1. utilized or made practical use of, especially for profit:

   Edible insects are a widely exploited food source among many of the world’s Indigenous populations.

2. used selfishly by someone for their own ends:

   Every one of these exploited workers shared stories of their inhumane working conditions and their determination to fight back.

verb

1. the simple past tense and past participle of exploit ²( def ).

Other Words From

• half-ex·ploit·ed adjective
• self-ex·ploit·ed adjective
• un·ex·ploit·ed adjective

Word History and Origins

Origin of exploited¹

exploit ²( def ) + -ed ²( def )

Example Sentences

Two other women working at Harrods say they believe the way they were brought to Monaco and the south of France to be abused by Salah would now be considered trafficking, because they were lured with deceptive offers of work and sexually exploited.

From BBC

The research, published in the journal Studies in Conflict and Terrorism, found that in 70% of the posts deemed to be the most substantive, the writers “accepted or exploited climate change.”

From Salon

Rhys is now a youth mentor, and is working with the police on a new campaign to help parents spot warning signs that their child is being exploited.

From BBC

"Despite Wiltshire's reputation as a safe county", he urged people not to "rest on our laurels", warning that children in Wiltshire are being exploited.

From BBC

Buck’s two-week trial highlighted a dangerous underworld of sex work, where an influential, wealthy man exploited poor, addicted Black men.

From Los Angeles Times

Related Words

• abused
• oppressed
• overburdened