noun
- a person who makes excessive profits, especially by taking advantage of shortages or emergencies
Usage: often disapproving
verb
- to make excessive profits, especially by taking advantage of shortages or emergencies
Usage: often disapproving
Examples
- War profiteers sold supplies to the army at inflated prices.
- The company was accused of being a profiteer during the housing crisis.
- Some businesses profiteered from the natural disaster by raising prices on essential goods.
- The government cracked down on profiteers who exploited the shortage of medical supplies.
- He was labeled a profiteer for charging triple the normal price for gasoline.
- Many considered it unethical to profiteer from people’s desperation during the emergency.