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Exploit vs Benefit - What's the difference?

exploit | benefit |

In transitive terms the difference between exploit and benefit

is that exploit is to use for one’s own advantage while benefit is to be or to provide a benefit to.

exploit

English

Noun

(en noun)
  • A heroic or extraordinary deed.
  • An achievement.
  • (computing) A program or technique that exploits a vulnerability in other software.

    • Verb

    (en verb)
  • To use for one’s own advantage.

    • Synonyms

    * take advantage of,

    benefit

    English

    Noun

    (en noun)
  • An advantage, help, sake or aid from something.
  • *
    • , title=(The Celebrity), chapter=5 , passage=When this conversation was repeated in detail within the hearing of the young woman in question, and undoubtedly for his benefit , Mr. Trevor threw shame to the winds and scandalized the Misses Brewster then and there by proclaiming his father to have been a country storekeeper.}}
  • A payment made in accordance with an insurance policy or a public assistance scheme.
  • A performance, etc, given to raise funds for some cause.
  • (obsolete) beneficence; liberality

    • Derived terms

    * beneficial * benefiter

    Synonyms

    * (advantage, help ): foredeal, advantage, aid, assistance, boon, help * (payment ): subsidy

    Antonyms

    * (advantage, help ): disadvantage, encumbrance, hindrance, nuisance, obstacle, detriment

    See also

    * lagniappe

    Verb

  • To be or to provide a benefit to.
  • * Bible, Jer. xviii. 10
    • I will repent of the good, wherewith I said I would benefit them.
  • To receive a benefit (from); to be a beneficiary.

    • Usage notes

    * Benefiting and benefited are more common, with benefitting and benefitted being a minor variant especially in the US.

    Synonyms

    * help, batten

    Antonyms

    * malefic * detriment

    Derived terms

    (terms derived from "benefit") * benefit association * benefit dollar * benefit in kind * benefit of clergy * benefit principle * benefit society * benefit-cost analysis * benefit-cost ratio * benefits coordinator * bennies * cafeteria benefit * child tax benefit * core benefit * cost-benefit analysis * death benefit * elective benefit * employee benefit * equivalent annual benefit * family benefit * friend with benefits * fringe benefit * income-related benefit * injury benefit * maternity benefit * means-tested benefit * nonstatutory fringe benefit * nonwage benefit * private benefit * risk-benefit * sickness benefit * state benefit * stranded benefit * supplementary benefit * survivor benefit * unemployment benefit * variable death benefit *

    Related terms

    (terms related to "benefit") * benefactor * beneficence * beneficent * beneficiary