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

New players such as Hoka and On Running took advantage of Nike's loss of focus in men's running. —Gurufocus, Forbes, 10 Dec. 2024

When Turkey took advantage of chaos created by the Assad regime’s collapse to fire on Kurdish forces Dec. 7, killing at least 22 SDF troops, Secretary Austin got his Turkish counterpart on the phone. —Anna Mulrine Grobe, The Christian Science Monitor, 10 Dec. 2024

On Sunday, the U.S. launched one of its larger, more expansive assaults against IS camps and operatives in the desert, taking advantage of the Assad government’s downfall. —Lolita C. Baldor, Chicago Tribune, 9 Dec. 2024

However, with this promotion running through Tuesday, Dec. 31, travelers can take advantage of a straightforward 1 to 1 transfer ratio, making Membership Rewards points even more valuable for JetBlue flights. —Stella Shon, Travel + Leisure, 9 Dec. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1618, in the meaning defined at sense 1