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
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
The Belfast Telegraph OnlineExamples of take advantage of in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
Some of those companies include international companies like America’s Boeing, France’s Airbus, and the Brazilian firm Embraer, which have taken steps to take advantage of future flying car demand.
—Dylan Butts,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025
The Heat took advantage of that, forcing 18 and scoring 19 points off of them.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2025
Customers can take advantage of the unlimited mobile line offer by visiting the nearest Xfinity retail store location in Independence, Mo., or Olathe, Kan., via their account on Xfinity.com or the Xfinity app, or by calling 1-800-XFINITY.
—Comcast, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2025
Other tax tidbits that could cut your bill Thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, jackpot winners in 2025 could take advantage of the high lifetime estate and gift tax exemption and give away $13.99 million per person tax free.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
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Dylan Butts,evelyn Cheng, CNBC, 4 Apr. 2025
The Heat took advantage of that, forcing 18 and scoring 19 points off of them.
—Adam Lichtenstein, Sun Sentinel, 4 Apr. 2025
Customers can take advantage of the unlimited mobile line offer by visiting the nearest Xfinity retail store location in Independence, Mo., or Olathe, Kan., via their account on Xfinity.com or the Xfinity app, or by calling 1-800-XFINITY.
—Comcast, Kansas City Star, 4 Apr. 2025
Other tax tidbits that could cut your bill Thanks to the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, jackpot winners in 2025 could take advantage of the high lifetime estate and gift tax exemption and give away $13.99 million per person tax free.
—Medora Lee, USA Today, 4 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for take advantage of
Cite this Entry
“Take advantage of.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/take%20advantage%20of. Accessed 12 Apr. 2025.
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