export
B2Neutral. Formal in business/economic contexts, neutral in general use.
Definition
Meaning
To send goods or services produced in one country to be sold in another country.
More broadly, to cause or send something (information, culture, technology, an idea) to be used or circulated in another country or system; the act of exporting or an item that is exported.
Linguistics
Semantic Notes
The word's meaning shifts from a specific economic/commercial action (export cars) to a more abstract concept of transferring non-physical items (export democratic values). Stress distinguishes the noun (EX-port) from the verb (ex-PORT) in speech.
Dialectal Variation
British vs American Usage
Differences
No significant meaning difference. Minor spelling preferences in derived forms: 'exporter' is universal; some UK sources may use 'exportation' more than US for the nominalised process.
Connotations
Identical. Both strongly associated with trade, economics, and international business.
Frequency
Equal frequency in both varieties due to global economic discourse.
Vocabulary
Collocations
Grammar
Valency Patterns
export something (to somebody/somewhere)export something from somewhereexport something as somethingVocabulary
Synonyms
Strong
Neutral
Weak
Vocabulary
Antonyms
Phrases
Idioms & Phrases
- “Cash crop export (primarily agricultural), Export or die (historical UK economic slogan)”
Usage
Context Usage
Business
Crucial term. Refers to the core activity of selling domestic products in foreign markets. E.g., 'Our quarterly export figures exceeded forecasts.'
Academic
Used in economics, political science, and cultural studies. E.g., 'The study examines the export of neoliberal policies to developing nations.'
Everyday
Used when discussing jobs, national news, or travel purchases. E.g., 'The factory's main job is to export car parts to Germany.'
Technical
In computing: to save data in a format usable by another program. E.g., 'Export the spreadsheet as a CSV file.'
Examples
By Part of Speech
verb
British English
- The company plans to export its renewable technology to the European market.
- We cannot legally export these goods without the proper paperwork.
American English
- The state's agricultural sector exports billions in crops each year.
- You can easily export your contacts from the email client.
adverb
British English
- The goods are shipped export-ready.
American English
- The data was saved export-compliant.
adjective
British English
- The new export regulations are quite complex.
- They work in the export department.
American English
- The export market for software is booming.
- We need an export license for this shipment.
Examples
By CEFR Level
- Italy exports a lot of pasta.
- Coffee is an important export for Brazil.
- The business grew quickly after it started to export its products.
- The main exports of the country are oil and gas.
- The government introduced tax incentives to encourage firms to export to new markets.
- A weak currency can sometimes make a nation's exports more competitive.
- Critics argue that the country is effectively exporting its environmental problems by offshoring manufacturing.
- The cultural export of American films has a significant global impact.
Learning
Memory Aids
Mnemonic
Think: EX-it + PORT. Goods EXit the country through a sea PORT to be sold elsewhere.
Conceptual Metaphor
TRADE IS A JOURNEY (goods travel to other countries); INFORMATION IS A COMMODITY (we export ideas).
Watch out
Common Pitfalls
Translation Traps (for Russian speakers)
- Avoid using 'export' for simply 'taking something out' (e.g., taking trash out). It implies a commercial/formal transfer. The Russian 'экспорт' is a direct cognate but watch verb-noun stress shift (экспорт vs экспортировать).
Common Mistakes
- Incorrect: 'We export vegetables in Spain.' Correct: 'We export vegetables to Spain.' OR 'We export vegetables from Spain.'
- Confusing noun/verb stress in speech: saying 'EX-port' when you mean the verb.
Practice
Quiz
Which sentence uses 'export' correctly as a verb?
FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Typically, the verb has stress on the second syllable (ex-PORT), and the noun has stress on the first syllable (EX-port).
Yes. It's commonly used for data, ideas, culture, and services (e.g., export financial services, export democracy).
The direct opposite is 'import' (to bring goods/services into a country from abroad).
Confusing 'to' and 'from'. You export something *to* a destination country, but you export it *from* its country of origin. 'We export cheese to France' vs. 'We export cheese from the UK.'
Collections
Part of a collection
Business Vocabulary
B1 · 50 words · Fundamental language of commerce and trade.