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🛠️ To employ 🧑‍🤝‍🧑 To exploit 🎯 A purpose 📜 Legal right
to use

to use

∞ 6.3
To treat someone only as a way to get what you want
  • verb
  • /juːz/
translation icon : aprovecharse de
  • I need to tell you that Ian's using you.
  • use their influence

So not you using them, but they trying to use you.

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Examples

  • They use the church to practice their black hands.

    Werewolf Cabal (2022)

  • But what I'm trying to use my platform for, right?

  • So not you using them, but they trying to use you.

    Lex Fridman

  • Sorry for using you as a bet.

    Unfavorable Odds (2022)

  • Many staff, particularly home care workers, use their own vehicles to travel to clients.

    Academic text (2011)

  • I'm an entrepreneur, you know, I use debt and I pay no tax.

  • Yeah, he uses me to compensate for his shortcomings.

    I'm Not Gay : A Musical (2023)

  • He often uses his charm to manipulate others for his benefit.

  • She was accused of using her friends to gain access to exclusive events.

  • Many believe politicians use social media to influence public opinion unfairly.

Synonyms

to take advantage
vsto use
549 4.6

To use a person or situation to get an unfair benefit for yourself

can be neutral or legitimate rather than always unfair or unethical
to take advantage of
vsto use
465 2.5

Use someone's trust or weakness to get something unfairly

is broader and not limited to targeting weaknesses for advantage
to exploit
vsto use
214 5.6

To use someone or something in an unfair way to get an advantage

is sometimes fair and can be neutral rather than always selfish
to abuse
vsto use
183 4.3

To use something in a way that harms

focuses on gaining advantage rather than on harm or excessive misuse
to leverage
vsto use
114 5.4

To use resources such as money or influence to gain an advantage

is often neutral and strategic rather than unfair or selfish
to prey
vsto use
75 7.8

To use people who are weak or trusting to get what you want

can be less predatory and sometimes neutral rather than seeking harm
to game
vsto use
  • Informal
36 7.6

To try to get an unfair advantage by using the rules

applies to treating people, relationships, or resources as means rather than manipulating system rules

Idioms

no use
133 2.5

An action that will not help

in use
49 1.0

Taken by someone so it is not free or available

to use your words
  • Informal
9 5.3

Tell someone what you feel or need instead of using actions

what's the use
  • Informal
1 7.6

You say something is not worth doing because it will not help

to use one's noggin
  • Slang
1 8.0

To think carefully before you act or decide

neither use nor ornament
  • Archaic
9.9

A thing that is not useful and not attractive

to use a carrot
  • Informal
4.2

Offer a reward to encourage someone to do something

use nor ornament
  • Archaic
9.9

Something that is not useful and not pleasant to look at

to use one's head
  • Informal
3.7

To think carefully and act sensibly

Phrasal Verbs

to use the bathroom
  • US
77 1.1

To go to the toilet to pee or poo

to use up
69 2.7

To finish all of something so nothing is left

to use the potty
  • Baby Talk
2 3.0

To pee or poo in a small toilet for children while learning toilet habits

to use the washroom
  • Canadian
1 1.9

To go to a room with a toilet to pee or poo

to use a dictionary
1 1.0

Look in a book or on a website to find a word's meaning and spelling

to use the loo
  • UK
1 8.0

To go to the toilet to pee or poo

to critique the use of
7.7

To look carefully at how words or ideas are used and judge them

to use one's words
  • Informal
4.1

To say how you feel or what you need instead of using actions

Compounds

drug use
  • NSFW
88 3.1

To take illegal or harmful drugs

fair use
  • Specialized
12 3.9

The right to use small parts of someone else's work without permission for teaching, news, or criticism

dual-use
4 7.1

A thing made to be used for two different purposes, like civilian and military

use immunity
  • Formal
1 8.9

A legal protection that stops a witness's forced testimony or evidence from being used to find them guilty

derogatory use
  • Offensive
1 7.8

Saying a word or phrase to insult other people

context of use
4.6

The words and situation around a word that help show its meaning

How Exploitative

to abuse
  • NSFW
344 3.7
to exploit
214 5.6
to use
∞ 6.3
to manipulate
382 6.1

Surface Forms

use infinitive
used past
used past participle
using present participle
uses third person singular

Etymology

Use can also mean to 'take advantage' of someone, and this comes from the same root uti meaning 'to use for a purpose'. A helpful way to remember the bad sense is to imagine someone being treated like a tool for another person's goals, which is why we say they were 'used'.