exploitation

USAGE SUMMARY

The word 'exploitation' is correct and can be used in written English.
You can use it to refer to the act of taking unfair advantage of someone or something by using them for one's own advantage. For example: "The company was accused of exploiting its employees for cheap labor."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Formal & Business

Science

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Even so, there have been initiatives such as the business bank, the cuts in corporation tax, the tax breaks for companies that exploit patents, the catapult centres to encourage exploitation of spinoffs from universities, that may improve Britain's industrial performance given time.

The Guardian - Business

People knew how we wanted to stop exploitation in the workplace, but not how we'd grow our workplaces to create more jobs and stronger growth.

The Guardian

As well as whalers' harpoons, whales must navigate the dangers of ship strikes, entanglements in shipping nets and other ocean apparatus, disorientating man-made ocean noises, habitat destruction, resource exploitation, climate change and pollution.

The Guardian

A coalition of international artists has begun a year-long protest against the mistreatment and exploitation of migrant workers building Abu Dhabi's £17bn cultural hub, including the world's largest Guggenheim and a branch of the Louvre.

The Guardian

Children who are registered as unaccompanied minors upon arrival in Italy are also vulnerable to exploitation.

The Guardian

It restricts any posthumous exploitation of the actor, be it through the use of CG to digitally resurrect him in Mrs Doubtfire 2 or as a live hologram performing comedy on stage – something that the advancement of technology has made an increasingly likely occurrence.

The Guardian

But how does a film-maker with a love of exploitation flicks handle scenes in which genuinely hideous exploitation is taking place?

The Guardian - Film

Other changes include the announcement in January this year for staff in children's homes to be given mandatory training in recognising and acting on child sexual exploitation and cyberbullying.

The Guardian

Related: Stop treating adoption as the only option for children in care Nina Biehal, professor of social work at the University of York, says: "The key element of these reforms is increasing the level of qualifications among staff in children's homes more generally, not just the new training on child sexual exploitation".

The Guardian

Biehal, who was a member of the working group for the children's home reform programme, adds: "We have to ensure that this [child sexual exploitation] isn't just the issue du jour among politicians, because there's the wider context of child protection and family support to think about".

The Guardian

Figures released by the National Crime Agency in September estimated that 2,744 people, including 602 children, were trafficked for exploitation in the UK in 2013, a 22% increase on 2012, with some forced to work in brothels, others in domestic servitude, and others exploited in factories, on farms and building sites.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Be specific about the type of "exploitation" you are referring to (e.g. labor, resource, sexual) to provide clarity and avoid ambiguity.

Common error

Instead of broadly condemning "exploitation", provide concrete examples and data to support your claims. This makes your argument more convincing and less open to challenge.

Linguistic Context

The noun "exploitation" functions as a descriptor of an action or process, typically involving unfair or unethical use. It often appears as the object of verbs like 'stop', 'prevent', or 'condemn', indicating actions taken against it. Ludwig confirms its correct usage.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

70%

Formal & Business

20%

Science

10%

Less common in

Academia

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The term "exploitation" commonly refers to the act of unfairly using someone or something for personal or organizational benefit, often at the expense of the exploited party. As Ludwig AI suggests, the term is grammatically correct and widely used, particularly in News & Media. Related terms include "unfair advantage" and "abuse of power". When using "exploitation", it is important to be specific and provide concrete examples to support your claims. Avoid broad generalizations that can weaken your argument. The term appears frequently in various authoritative sources such as The Guardian, and is used in both neutral and formal contexts to express disapproval of unethical practices.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

taking advantage

Emphasizes the act of capitalizing on a situation or person.

unfair advantage

Focuses on the injustice and inequity inherent in the act.

abuse of power

Highlights the misuse of authority to exploit others.

profiteering

Emphasizes gaining excessive profit through unfair means.

manipulation

Focuses on the skillful control of someone or something to one's own advantage.

capitalizing on

Highlights the act of turning a situation or resource to one's benefit, which can sometimes imply exploitation.

using someone

A more direct and informal way of expressing exploitation.

milking

Suggests extracting as much as possible from a resource or person, often to the point of depletion.

drawing on

Implies using resources, sometimes in a way that could be considered exploitative.

development

In some contexts, development can be a euphemism for the exploitation of resources.

FAQs

How can I use "exploitation" in a sentence?

You can use "exploitation" to describe the unfair or unethical use of someone or something for personal gain. For example, "The company's "exploitation" of natural resources led to environmental damage."

What are some synonyms for "exploitation"?

Alternatives to "exploitation" include "unfair advantage", "abuse of power", or "taking advantage", depending on the specific nuance you want to convey.

What is the difference between "exploitation" and development?

"Exploitation" generally implies unfair or unethical use for personal gain, whereas development can refer to more sustainable or beneficial utilization of resources or skills.

Is "exploitation" always a negative term?

Yes, "exploitation" typically carries a negative connotation, suggesting unfair or unethical use. However, the term "development" could refer to the use of something or someone in a good and correct way.