exploitative
Taking unfair advantage
Exploitative describes actions or systems that unfairly use others for profit or advantage, typically by taking more than is given: exploitative labor practices, an exploitative relationship.
The word carries strong moral judgment—calling something exploitative implies the powerful are benefiting at the expense of the vulnerable.
Industries, employers, and personal relationships can all be exploitative.
Exploitative manufacturing workplace
- underpaymentInsufficient wages rendered
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
- overworkToil to exhaustion
- plantationLarge-scale farming operation
factory · outsourcing · precarious · unpaid · interns · piecework · indentured
Exploiting scarcity for gain
- usuryExtortionate money lending
- rent-seekingGaining through system manipulation
- overchargeDemand excessive payment
- extractionAct of removing
markup · windfall · scalping · monopoly · cartel · racketeering · fleecing · swindling
Sly, scheming cleverness
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- connivingSecretly planning wrongdoing
- deceptiveCreating false impressions
predatory · insidious · underhanded · opportunistic · self-serving · unscrupulous · duplicitous · parasitic
Being made to suffer
- mistreatmentCruel or harmful behavior
- degradationDecline in condition
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
- bullyingAggressive repeated intimidation
harassment · cruelty · violation · injustice · subjugation · domination · intimidation · dehumanization
Act of removing
- miningExtracting earth's resources
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- overfishingUnsustainable marine harvest
- poachingUnlawful wildlife capture
strip-mining · fracking · drilling · depletion · plundering · pillaging · logging · monoculture
Unjust exercise of power
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- colonialismDomination through foreign settlement
- imperialismExtending dominion over others
- hegemonyDominant group's control
authoritarianism · feudalism · serfdom · enslavement · subjection · neocolonialism · apartheid · caste
sweatshop
Exploitative manufacturing workplace
- underpaymentInsufficient wages rendered
- traffickingIllegal transport for profit
- overworkToil to exhaustion
plantation · factory · outsourcing · precarious · unpaid · interns · piecework · indentured
profiteering
Exploiting scarcity for gain
- usuryExtortionate money lending
- rent-seekingGaining through system manipulation
- overchargeDemand excessive payment
extraction · markup · windfall · scalping · monopoly · cartel · racketeering · fleecing · swindling · bilking
cunning
Sly, scheming cleverness
- schemingCrafty and calculating
- calculatingColdly self-serving in strategy
- connivingSecretly planning wrongdoing
deceptive · predatory · insidious · underhanded · opportunistic · self-serving · unscrupulous · duplicitous · parasitic · Machiavellian
victimization
Being made to suffer
- mistreatmentCruel or harmful behavior
- degradationDecline in condition
- coercionPressured compliance through threats
bullying · harassment · cruelty · violation · injustice · subjugation · domination · intimidation · dehumanization · maltreatment
extraction
Act of removing
- miningExtracting earth's resources
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- overfishingUnsustainable marine harvest
poaching · strip-mining · fracking · drilling · depletion · plundering · pillaging · logging · monoculture · environmental
oppression
Unjust exercise of power
- tyrannyOppressive, absolute governance
- colonialismDomination through foreign settlement
- imperialismExtending dominion over others
hegemony · authoritarianism · feudalism · serfdom · enslavement · subjection · neocolonialism · apartheid · caste · hierarchy
- unfairnessunfair, unjust, biased, unequal, inequitable
- egotismarrogant, conceited, egocentric, egomaniac, egotist
- selfish traitsselfish, greedy, self-centered, self-absorbed, egotistical
- wickedevil, wicked, villainous, malicious, sinister
- sexualizedsexualized, erotica, pornographic, provocative, suggestive
exploitativefair
Impartial and unbiased
equitable · mutual · reciprocal · just · even-handed
exploitativegenerative
Able to produce or create
productive · constructive · creative · sustainable · regenerative
- worker exploitationMistreating employees for profit
- commercial exploitationProfiting from a resource
- labor exploitationUnfair treatment of workers
- child exploitationHarmful use of minors
- exploitation filmSensational low-budget movie genre
- sexual exploitationAbusing someone for carnal gain