Phrase guide

take advantage of

verb · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

verb

Meaning 1

To use or make use of.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • He took advantage of the swimming pool every day of his visit.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

2

verb

Meaning 2

To exploit.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Usage: transitive

Examples

  • She took advantage of his desperation.
  • He toyed with her emotions just to get her in bed. He took advantage of her.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: stooge

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

No etymology was provided for this word.

Across languages

Translations

62 source translations are retained for this English entry.

  • Arabic: اِسْتَغَلَّ (istaḡalla) — make use of
  • Armenian: օգտվել (ōgtvel) — make use of
  • Catalan: aprofitar — make use of
  • Catalan: aprofitar-se — make use of
  • Dutch: gebruik maken van — make use of
  • Faroese: nýta — make use of
  • Faroese: gagnnýta — make use of
  • Finnish: käyttää — make use of
  • Finnish: hyödyntää — make use of
  • French: profiter de — make use of
  • Galician: aproveitar — make use of
  • German: nutzen — make use of
  • German: Gebrauch machen von — make use of
  • Hungarian: kihasznál — make use of
  • Hungarian: hasznát veszi — make use of
  • Italian: sfruttare — make use of
  • Italian: approfittare — make use of
  • Māori: makihuhunu — make use of
  • Māori: whakamahi — make use of
  • Polish: korzystać — make use of
  • Polish: skorzystać — make use of
  • Romanian: abuza de — make use of
  • Romanian: exploata — make use of
  • Russian: воспо́льзоваться (vospólʹzovatʹsja) — make use of
  • Russian: испо́льзовать (ispólʹzovatʹ) — make use of
  • Scottish Gaelic: gabh brath air — make use of
  • Spanish: aprovecharse — make use of
  • Spanish: aprovechar — make use of
  • Swedish: dra nytta av — make use of
  • Swedish: utnyttja — make use of
  • Armenian: օգտվել (ōgtvel) — exploit
  • Catalan: aprofitar-se — exploit
  • Chinese Mandarin: 壓榨 (yāzhà) — exploit
  • Chinese Mandarin: 剝削 /剥削 (bōxuē) — exploit
  • Dutch: voordeel trekken uit — exploit
  • Esperanto: ekspluati — exploit
  • Faroese: gagnnýta — exploit
  • Faroese: nýta til fyrimunar fyri — exploit
  • Finnish: käyttää hyväksi — exploit
  • Finnish: riistää — exploit
  • Finnish: hyödyntää — exploit
  • Galician: aproveitar — exploit
  • Galician: abusar — exploit
  • German: ausnutzen — exploit
  • German: einen Vorteil ziehen aus — exploit
  • Gothic: 𐌱𐌹𐍆𐌰𐌹𐌷𐍉𐌽 (bifaihōn) — exploit
  • Hungarian: kihasznál — exploit
  • Italian: avvantaggiarsi — exploit
  • Jamaican Creole: tek step wid — exploit
  • Malay: mempergunakan — exploit
  • Māori: makihuhunu — exploit
  • Polish: wykorzystywać — exploit
  • Polish: wykorzystać — exploit
  • Portuguese: tirar vantagem de — exploit
  • Portuguese: explorar — exploit
  • Romanian: exploata — exploit
  • Russian: эксплуати́ровать (ekspluatírovatʹ) — exploit
  • Russian: воспользоваться (vospolʹzovatʹsja) — exploit
  • Scottish Gaelic: gabh brath air — exploit
  • Spanish: aprovecharse — exploit
  • Swedish: utnyttja — exploit
  • Ottoman Turkish: صاغمق (sağmak) — exploit