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exploit

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the noun exploit differ from other similar words?

The words achievement and feat are common synonyms of exploit. While all three words mean "a remarkable deed," exploit suggests an adventurous or heroic act.

his exploits as a spy

When could achievement be used to replace exploit?

In some situations, the words achievement and exploit are roughly equivalent. However, achievement implies hard-won success in the face of difficulty or opposition.

her achievements as a chemist

When is it sensible to use feat instead of exploit?

The words feat and exploit are synonyms, but do differ in nuance. Specifically, feat implies strength or dexterity or daring.

an acrobatic feat

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exploit
Verb
At the same time, malicious actors will be planning out cyber attacks that exploit the vulnerabilities that come with the busiest online shopping season of the year. Pcmag Brandx, PC Magazine, 25 Aug. 2025 The breach of the judiciary’s electronic case filing system first came to light in a report by Politico three weeks ago, which went on to say that the vulnerabilities exploited in the hack were known since 2020. Dan Goodin, ArsTechnica, 25 Aug. 2025
Noun
The latter was arguably the film's breakout star, a Human Torch whose snowboarding exploits feel very mid-'00s. Richard Edwards, Space.com, 25 July 2025 Ozzy Osbourne, who died Tuesday, July 22, at 76, was famous for being the epitome of the heavy-metal front man, a wild-child rock star whose antics and exploits sometimes threatened to overshadow his musical gifts. Bill Goodykoontz, AZCentral.com, 22 July 2025 See All Example Sentences for exploit
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exploit
Verb
  • Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 24 Aug. 2025
  • The fire department’s water rescue team immediately started rescue efforts and police used a drone to help with the search, officials said.
    Rebecca Johnson, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Trump in August ordered the firing of the U.S. commissioner of Labor Statistics after the weak jobs report, accusing her without evidence of manipulating data.
    Bailey Schulz, USA Today, 30 Aug. 2025
  • That’s right: today’s most powerful AI models can be manipulated using the pretty much the same psychological tricks that work on humans.
    John Koetsier, Forbes.com, 30 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Those vignettes had been utilized in many prior studies involving human subjects.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 23 Aug. 2025
  • Offensive coordinator Marcus Arroyo utilizes the screen game often, and Udoh — who had two catches for three yards in two seasons at Army – has spent most of camp trying to catch up to Arroyo’s gameplan for him in the passing game.
    The Athletic College Football Staff, New York Times, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • The plant’s miraculous feat of survival may seem as enigmatic as its ancestry, but the two are likely connected, according to Welch’s colleague Dr. Greg Grant, the Smith County horticulturist for Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service.
    Jessica Jordan, CNN Money, 27 Aug. 2025
  • That’s quite a feat for a film such as KPop that’s a two-quadrant movie targeting families and females 25 and younger.
    Pamela McClintock, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • But that triggered the second thing – Trump’s revulsion for math that contradicts his narrative.
    Chris Brennan, USA Today, 22 Aug. 2025
  • Kaylor, attempting the same thing, feels like watching an injured baby deer try to do TikTok dances while amid an existential crisis.
    Olivia Crandall, Vulture, 22 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • But the 1st District contains the spectrum of the American experience: industrial urban cores by the lake shore to the north, suburban bedroom communities in the center, and agricultural rural areas in the south.
    Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 26 Aug. 2025
  • Richardson, the current acting administrator, is a former U.S. Marine and DHS official without any previous experience in emergency management.
    Tim Reid, USA Today, 26 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Offshore Wind Heavy Lift Marine Terminal Project, which would also leverage private and state investment.
    Lauren Sommer, NPR, 31 Aug. 2025
  • In recent years, Kelce has leveraged his football success into sponsorship deals with top brands including General Mills, Subway, Campbell's Soup and State Farm.
    Edward Segarra, USA Today, 29 Aug. 2025
Verb
  • Can people park their boats or RVs on the street over the long Labor Day weekend in Nashville, or do normal parking rules and regulations apply?
    Charles Singh, The Tennessean, 31 Aug. 2025
  • Sea buckthorn is available as an oil taken by mouth or a cream applied to the skin.
    Health, Health, 30 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exploit.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exploit. Accessed 3 Sep. 2025.

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