English Reference

Word

export

Phoneticsex·port, stress on the first syllable

/ˈɛkspɔɹt/

Definitions

01goods sold abroad

B1 · Intermediate Countable noun General-service

n. a product that is sold and sent to another country.

n. a commodity, article, or service sold abroad. Countable in the sense of specific products; uncountable when referring to the trade sector.

“Coffee is the main export for many countries in South America.”

“The government is introducing new subsidies to help small businesses turn their local crafts into a viable national export.”

Synonyms

Antonyms

02to sell to another country

B1 · Intermediate General-service

v. to sell and send goods to another country.

v. to send goods or services to another country for sale. Transitive; typically takes a direct object representing the commodity.

“The factory exports most of its electronics to Europe and North America.”

“By modernising its infrastructure, the nation hopes to export significantly higher volumes of natural gas to its neighbours over the next decade.”

Pitfall

The company exports to cars to Japan.

The company exports cars to Japan.

The verb 'export' is transitive; do not put a preposition between the verb and the product being sold.

Synonyms

sell abroadship

Antonyms

03to spread an idea

B2 · Upper Intermediate Academic

v. to spread an idea, culture, or system to other parts of the world.

v. to cause an idea, cultural practice, or social system to be adopted in another country or region.

“The country has exported its popular music and films all over the globe.”

“Sociologists argue whether the revolution successfully exported its democratic ideals to the surrounding territories or remained a local phenomenon.”

04to move digital data

B1 · Intermediate Computing Technical

v. to save data in a format that another computer program can use.

v. to transfer data from one application to another, often involving a change in file format.

“You can export your contact list as a spreadsheet file.”

“The software allows users to export their architectural designs directly into a format compatible with 3D printing hardware.”

Usage

Often used with the preposition 'to' or 'as'.

Synonyms

Antonyms

Collocations

Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “export” in context.

Verb

01. ban the export of

“The country decided to ban the export of rare animals to protect its wildlife.”

verb + noun + prep + noun

02. depend on exports

“Many small islands depend on exports of fruit and fish for their income.”

verb + prep + noun

03. increase exports

“The government is trying to increase exports to help the local economy grow.”

verb + noun

Adjective

04. illegal export

“Customs officers are working hard to stop the illegal export of stolen art.”

adj + noun

05. major export

“Coffee is a major export for many countries in South America.”

adj + noun

Noun

06. export market

“The company is looking for a new export market in Asia to sell its products.”

noun + noun

07. growth in exports

“There has been a significant growth in exports of electronic goods this year.”

noun + prep + noun

Preposition

08. for export

“These luxury cars are produced specifically for export to Europe.”

prep + noun

Etymology

From Latin exportare.

Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.

Word family

NOUN

export(B1)

Domain

Computing

This entry

Exam level
CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.B1 PreliminaryIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.4.0–5.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 3.0–3.544–71TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.550–784
Frequency
Common
Level
B1 · IntermediateOxford
Updated

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English Reference