exploiting
Taking advantage of
Exploiting is making use of something for one's own benefit.
The word carries a range of moral weight depending on context.
Exploiting natural resources or market opportunities is neutral: The company is exploiting a gap in the market.
But exploiting people suggests taking unfair advantage of their vulnerability or labor: accused of exploiting undocumented workers.
The noun exploitation follows the same pattern.
Causing false belief
- coercingForcing through intimidation
- manipulatingInfluencing through cunning
- preyingHunting to consume
- conningDefrauding through deception
taking advantage · using · abusing · victimizing · grooming · scamming · defrauding · swindling
Borrowed capital for amplified returns
- edgeBoundary or sharpness
- dominanceSuperior influence over others
- supremacyHighest rank or power
- ascendancyDominant power or influence
control · gaining · capitalizing · profiting · outmaneuvering · maximizing · benefiting · optimizing
Exploitative manufacturing workplace
- underpaidGiven inadequate wages
- overworkedLaboring beyond healthy limits
- child laborMinors performing paid work
- forced laborCompelled toil, no consent
human trafficking · modern slavery · indentured servitude · migrant workers · garment workers · poverty wages · wage theft · unsafe conditions
Act of removing
- depletionReduction of supply
- overfishingUnsustainable marine harvest
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
- miningExtracting earth's resources
drilling · fracking · logging · poaching · clear-cutting · overgrazing · strip-mining · trawling
Openness to harm
- bugCrawling creature or defect
- zero-dayUnpatched security vulnerability
- hackingInfiltrating protected digital systems
- breachBreaking of agreement
security flaw · penetration · payload · backdoor · malware · cyberattack · injection · buffer overflow
deceiving
Causing false belief
- coercingForcing through intimidation
- manipulatingInfluencing through cunning
- preyingHunting to consume
conning · taking advantage · using · abusing · victimizing · grooming · scamming · defrauding · swindling · tricking
leverage
Borrowed capital for amplified returns
ascendancy · control · gaining · capitalizing · profiting · outmaneuvering · maximizing · benefiting · optimizing · strategic
sweatshop
Exploitative manufacturing workplace
- underpaidGiven inadequate wages
- overworkedLaboring beyond healthy limits
- child laborMinors performing paid work
forced labor · human trafficking · modern slavery · indentured servitude · migrant workers · garment workers · poverty wages · wage theft · unsafe conditions · bonded labor
extraction
Act of removing
- depletionReduction of supply
- overfishingUnsustainable marine harvest
- deforestationLarge-scale woodland elimination
mining · drilling · fracking · logging · poaching · clear-cutting · overgrazing · strip-mining · trawling · whaling
vulnerability
Openness to harm
- bugCrawling creature or defect
- zero-dayUnpatched security vulnerability
- hackingInfiltrating protected digital systems
security flaw · breach · penetration · payload · backdoor · malware · cyberattack · injection · buffer overflow · privilege escalation
- hostile behaviorsattacking, bullying, fighting, harassing, hitting
- mistreatmentbullying, harassing, intimidating, oppressing, humiliating
- parasitismbloodsucking, leeching, nest parasitism, infecting, infestation
- sports cheatingmatch fixing, doping, point shaving, steroids, cheating
- actionsrun, walk, jump, move, push
- deceptionlie, lies, lying, fake, fraud
exploitingreciprocating
Moving back and forth
giving back · cooperating · collaborating · partnering · mutual exchange
exploitingnurturing
Supportive care-giving
protecting · empowering · supporting · caring for · liberating
exploitingconserving
Protecting from depletion
preserving · sustaining · stewarding · replenishing · restoring
exploit, exploited, exploitation, exploits, exploiter, exploitative, unexploited, overexploited, underexploited