thoroughly exploited

USAGE SUMMARY

"thoroughly exploited" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to describe a situation where resources, opportunities, or ideas have been fully utilized or taken advantage of. An example: "The natural resources in the region have been thoroughly exploited." Alternative expressions include "fully utilized" and "completely taken advantage of."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Science

Formal & Business

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

17 human-written examples

Then Connie and Monica Farr got an acting job in Panama, where they were thoroughly exploited.

The New Yorker

Behold her escalation of power through sensuality, underplayed and thoroughly exploited.

The New York Times

But here, the incident has also been thoroughly exploited by the first Republican Senate majority in Florida this century.

The New York Times

And it's fair to say that its foodie potential has been thoroughly exploited by one Herefordshire farmer.

Independent

Clinton, who might have been Gore's strongest ally with these voters, has, not surprisingly, become a liability, a weakness that Bush has thoroughly exploited.

The New York Times - Magazine

Since it was coined in the mid-2000s, the sharing part has been thoroughly exploited, and, as in a recent case involving an Airbnb property and a squatter in California, free-riders ride again.

The Guardian - Tech

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

43 human-written examples

In that first year, they knocked out LeBron James's Cavaliers by thoroughly exploiting the weakness of his supporting cast.

The Guardian - Sport

Hollywood loves to thoroughly exploit every fad before dumping it: witness the cycles over the years of Westerns, disaster movies and films based on comic-book characters.

The New York Times

Finally, I suggest that competence modeling more thoroughly exploits the insights of cognitive scientists like Newell and reduces the gap between the aims of cognitive science and artificial intelligence.

Artificial Intelligence

With no PS3 modchip in sight, it seems hackers and tinkerers have moved on to thoroughly exploiting the Nintendo Wii.

TechCrunch

I assumed it was in response to the F-bomb video that so thoroughly exploits young girls.

HuffPost

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "thoroughly exploited" to describe situations where resources, opportunities or even people have been used extensively, often implying a negative consequence or unfairness. Ensure the context supports this implication.

Common error

Avoid using "thoroughly exploited" when a more neutral term like "fully utilized" or "extensively researched" would be more appropriate. The word "exploited" carries a negative connotation of unfairness or depletion.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "thoroughly exploited" functions as a verb phrase with an adverb, typically describing an action performed on a noun. Ludwig provides examples illustrating its use in various contexts, often emphasizing complete, and sometimes unfair, utilization.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

50%

Science

33%

Formal & Business

8%

Less common in

Encyclopedias

0%

Wiki

0%

Reference

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, the phrase "thoroughly exploited" is a commonly used expression that combines a verb and an adverb to convey the idea of complete and extensive utilization, often carrying negative connotations of unfairness or depletion. As seen in various examples provided by Ludwig, it appears frequently in news, scientific, and business contexts. It's grammatical status is correct. When writing, it's crucial to be mindful of the phrase's negative implications and select more neutral alternatives like "fully utilized" when appropriate.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

fully utilized

Emphasizes complete and efficient use, often in a positive or neutral context, rather than negative connotations of exploitation.

completely taken advantage of

Highlights the act of unfairly using someone or something for personal gain, focusing on the victim's disadvantage.

exhaustively used

Implies that something has been used to its absolute limit, leaving nothing remaining.

maximized to the fullest extent

Focuses on achieving the greatest possible outcome or benefit, often in a business or strategic context.

overused extensively

Highlights the negative aspect of excessive use, often suggesting that something has become worn out or ineffective.

milked for all it's worth

Suggests extracting every possible benefit, often with a connotation of greed or ruthlessness.

squeezed dry

Implies that all value or resources have been extracted, leaving nothing behind.

taken to the cleaners

Focuses on the financial aspect of exploitation, suggesting that someone has been completely deprived of their assets.

wrung out

Implies the act of forcing something to give its very last drop, often leading to depletion or ruin.

capitalized on completely

Highlights the act of turning something into an advantage fully, where advantage is often unfair.

FAQs

How can "thoroughly exploited" be used in a sentence?

You can use "thoroughly exploited" to describe resources or opportunities that have been used extensively, often implying a negative consequence. For instance, "The region's mineral resources have been "thoroughly exploited", leading to environmental damage."

What phrases can replace "thoroughly exploited"?

Depending on the nuance you want to convey, alternatives to "thoroughly exploited" include "fully utilized", "completely taken advantage of", or "exhaustively used".

What's the difference between "thoroughly exploited" and "fully utilized"?

"Thoroughly exploited" often implies a negative consequence or unfairness in the usage of something, while "fully utilized" is more neutral, suggesting complete and efficient use without necessarily implying harm or injustice.

Is it correct to use "thoroughly exploited" in a positive context?

While grammatically correct, using "thoroughly exploited" in a positive context can be misleading because the word "exploited" usually carries negative connotations. It's better to opt for a more neutral phrase, such as "maximized to the fullest extent".