EXPLOIT | Definition and Meaning

Definition of Exploit

Exploit

ex·ploit

Definition/Meaning

(verb)

to fully utilize a person, thing, or situation and gain all possible benefits from them/it, to take full advantage of a resource;

e.g. They encouraged her to exploit the opportunity while it was still available to her.

(verb)

to use or take advantage of someone or something in a way that is selfish and/or unfair, especially to unfairly benefit from someone else's work by making them work too much and/or not paying them enough;

e.g. Greedy companies began to exploit the natural resources of the region. The manager tried to exploit the employees and make them work excessively long hours.

(noun)

an act or feat that is memorable or notable in some way, especially by being bold, heroic, or daring;

e.g. He shared the story of his latest exploit with a spell-bound audience.

(noun)

a software tool that takes advantage of a computer system's flaws for some particular purpose, especially for installing malware;

e.g. He found an exploit in their computer system.