profiteer Definition
a person who takes advantage of a situation to make excessive profits, typically by selling essential goods during a shortage at exorbitant prices.
Using profiteer: Examples
Take a moment to familiarize yourself with how "profiteer" can be used in various situations through the following examples!
Example
During the pandemic, some people became profiteers by hoarding and reselling essential goods at inflated prices.
Example
The company was accused of being a profiteer by raising the prices of their products during the crisis.
Example
He was labeled as a profiteer for taking advantage of the war to make a fortune.
profiteer Synonyms and Antonyms
Synonyms for profiteer
Phrases with profiteer
a person or company that makes excessive profits by selling goods or services to the military during wartime
Example
Many companies were accused of being war profiteers during World War II.
a person or company that makes excessive profits by selling goods or services during a natural disaster or other crisis
Example
Some people accused the government of being disaster profiteers by awarding contracts to their friends and allies during the hurricane relief efforts.
a person or company that makes excessive profits by selling oil or petroleum products at inflated prices
Example
The government accused the oil companies of being oil profiteers by manipulating the prices of gasoline and diesel fuel.
Origins of profiteer
from French 'profiter', meaning 'to profit'
Summary: profiteer in Brief
A 'profiteer' [präfəˈtir] is a person who takes advantage of a situation, often a shortage of essential goods, to make excessive profits by selling them at exorbitant prices. It is a derogatory term that implies greed and exploitation. Examples include hoarding and reselling essential goods during a crisis or raising prices during a shortage. Phrases like 'war profiteer' and 'disaster profiteer' describe those who make excessive profits during wartime or natural disasters. Synonyms include 'opportunist' and 'exploiter.'
