exploitation

Name: exploitation, English Word Data
Creator: Wiktionary
License: https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/

/ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃn̩/

//ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃn̩// noun

By PlainSpell Editorial Team · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) · analyzed May 6, 2026

The verdict

“exploitation” is a regularly-used English word, ranked #9,043 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#9,043
frequency rank, English: 12
letters: 18
tracked misspellings: 2
confusable pairs

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - The act of utilizing something; industry.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

exploitation vs exploration

83% similar

exploitation vs exploitative

83% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for exploitation
Property	Value
Headword	exploitation
Language	English
Part of speech	Noun
IPA	/ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃn̩/
Letters	12
Frequency rank	#9,043
Misspellings tracked	18
Confusable pairs	2
Source	Wiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “exploitation” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). exploitation lands here:

#9,043

#1#100#1K#10K#100K

← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for exploitation is 12 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃn̩/. Corpus data places it at rank #9,043 in overall English word frequency, indicating it appears regularly in written and spoken text. Wiktionary records 5 distinct senses for this headword, so context determines which meaning a reader should apply.

Our generated misspelling index lists 18 likely wrong-spelling variants for exploitation, with forms such as "epxloitation", "exlpoitation", and "expliotation". Each variant is a distinct typo pattern an edit-distance generator flags, typically a doubled-consonant error, a silent-letter drop, or a vowel substitution. It also participates in 2 confusable-pair relationships, "exploration", "exploitative", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: Borrowed from French exploitation, from exploiter (“exploit”), from Latin explicō (“unfold, deploy”). The correct English form is exploitation, spelled E-X-P-L-O-I-T-A-T-I-O-N.

Definition

1
The act of utilizing something; industry.
2
The improper use of something for selfish purposes.
3
The act or result of forcibly depriving someone of something to which they have a right.
4
The marketing and promotion of a film.
5
A genre of media focused on lurid depictions of topical social issues such as violence, sexuality and marginalized groups.

Etymology

Borrowed from French exploitation, from exploiter (“exploit”), from Latin explicō (“unfold, deploy”).

This word in other languages

explotación(Español)exploitation(Français)Ausbeutung(Deutsch)exploração(Português)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: epxloitation,exlpoitation,expliotation,explloitation,exploiattion,exploitaiton,exploitasion,exploitatino,exploitationn,exploitatoin,exploitattion,exploittaion,exploittation,explotiation,expolitation,expploitation,exxploitation,xeploitation

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of exploitation - measured in single-character edits (insert, delete, or substitute a letter). Larger bars are easier to catch; one-edit slips are the sneakiest.

Edit distance from "exploitation"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "exploitation"?

"exploitation" is spelled E-X-P-L-O-I-T-A-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃn̩/.

What does "exploitation" mean?

As a noun, "exploitation" means: The act of utilizing something; industry.

What words are commonly confused with "exploitation"?

"exploitation" is commonly confused with "exploration", "exploitative". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.

How do you pronounce "exploitation"?

The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "exploitation" is /ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃn̩/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.

What is the origin of the word "exploitation"?

Borrowed from French exploitation, from exploiter (“exploit”), from Latin explicō (“unfold, deploy”). See the full etymology section above for more details.

Is PlainSpell free to use?

Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “exploitation”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

The one correct English spelling is E-X-P-L-O-I-T-A-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
Say it as /ˌɛksplɔɪˈteɪʃn̩/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
Don't mix it up with “exploration” - see the side-by-side comparison. exploitation vs exploration
Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words

Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.