profiteer

noun
UK: /prɒfɪˈtɪər/
US: /prɑːfɪˈtɪr/

  1. A person who makes an excessive profit, especially during a time of crisis or shortage.

    1. He is a profiteer, selling water for a lot.
    2. The government cracked down on businesses suspected of being a profiteer during the pandemic.

Synonyms

opportunist profiteer speculator
profiteer intransitive-verb

  1. To make an excessive profit, especially during a time of crisis or shortage; to exploit a situation for personal gain.

    1. The company tried to profiteer off the disaster.
    2. Some businesses will profiteer by raising prices when there's high demand and short supply.
profiteer transitive-verb

  1. To obtain an advantage or profit from someone or something, especially in a dishonest or unfair way; to exploit a situation for one's own gain.

    1. He profiteered from the misfortune of others.
    2. The company was accused of profiteering from vulnerable customers through predatory lending.

Frequently Asked Questions

The phonetic transcription of "profiteer" is /prɒfɪˈtɪər/ in British English and /prɑːfɪˈtɪr/ in American English. Click the 🔊 button to hear both pronunciations.

Synonyms for "profiteer": opportunist, profiteer, speculator.

Example usage of "profiteer": "He is a profiteer, selling water for a lot.". More examples on the page.