take advantage of

idiomatic phrase

1

: to make good use of (something) : to profit by (something)

take advantage of an opportunity

We took advantage of the warm weather and did some yard work.

2

a

: to impose on (someone) : to ask for or expect more than is fair or reasonable from (someone)

After a while, I began to think she was taking advantage of me.

He felt like he'd been taken advantage of.

b

: to use (something or someone) unfairly for personal gain

He took advantage of [=exploited] my lack of experience.

It adds that young people in care homes, with learning disabilities, those excluded from school or using drugs or alcohol are particularly vulnerable to being targeted by people who take advantage of them for money, food or drugs.

—Stephen Naysmith

c

: to exploit (someone) sexually

The star shared her experiences of Hollywood bosses who tried to take advantage of her in the early days of her career.

—The Belfast Telegraph Online

Examples of take advantage of in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

The challenge for Green Bay head coach Matt LaFleur is to design a game plan that Willis is comfortable with and takes advantage of his strengths. —Rob Reischel, Forbes, 13 Sep. 2024

Chicago is a global welcoming city, and its leadership should take advantage of the eagerness of countless people to visit the city by making this the destination to celebrate Mexican Independence Day. —Luis Guiterrez, Chicago Tribune, 13 Sep. 2024

Demand for travel is soaring, there's less competition, and companies are taking advantage of this seller's market by raising prices and providing even less service. —Christopher Elliott, USA TODAY, 13 Sep. 2024

The closest Aldi warehouse is in California, which means that Arizonans won't be able to take advantage of the $ 23-an-hour positions, which are only for warehouse workers. —Reia Li, The Arizona Republic, 13 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1