Crossword Genius

Thought of the many getting exploited (5)

Ross

I believe the answer is:

mused

'thought of' is the definition.
(I've seen this before)

'the many getting exploited' is the wordplay.
'the many' becomes 'm'.
'getting' is a charade indicator (letters next to each other).
'exploited' becomes 'used' ('used' can be a synonym of 'exploited').
'm'+'used'='MUSED'

(Other definitions for mused that I've seen before include "Reflected in silence" , "Fuddled" , "Closer" , "Was deep in thought" , "Contemplated" .)

I've seen this clue in the Evening Standard.
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