exerted; exerting; exerts
1
a
: to put forth (strength, effort, etc.)
the force is exerted sideways
b
: to put (oneself) into action or to tiring effort
won't have to exert himself moving the table
2
: to bring to bear especially with sustained effort or lasting effect
exerted a bad influence on his students
Examples of exert in a Sentence
He had to exert all of his strength to move the stone.
He exerts a lot of influence on the other members of the committee.
the force exerted by the machine
Recent Examples on the Web
But Democrats generally aren't inclined to let the government shut down, and House Republicans — expected to leave town after the stopgap measure passes — are exerting pressure to avoid a shutdown.
—
Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2025
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System exerted its autonomy from Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday by informing its workers that the agency will maintain its policy that allows two days of remote work a week.
—William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025
China has forged strong ties across nations, especially in Asia and Africa, and exerts greater power in international organizations.
—arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2025
And, because working on balance uniquely exerts many physical systems, frequently challenging yourself with harder balance exercises will not only yield better balance, but also strengthen the underlying systems.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Kaia Hubbard, CBS News, 10 Mar. 2025
The California Public Employees’ Retirement System exerted its autonomy from Gov. Gavin Newsom Friday by informing its workers that the agency will maintain its policy that allows two days of remote work a week.
—William Melhado, Sacramento Bee, 8 Mar. 2025
China has forged strong ties across nations, especially in Asia and Africa, and exerts greater power in international organizations.
—arkansasonline.com, 7 Mar. 2025
And, because working on balance uniquely exerts many physical systems, frequently challenging yourself with harder balance exercises will not only yield better balance, but also strengthen the underlying systems.
—Matt Fuchs, TIME, 7 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exert
Cite this Entry
“Exert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exert. Accessed 20 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exert
verb
ex·ert
ig-ˈzərt 
1
: to put forth (as strength)
the force exerted by a machine
: bring into use or action
exert influence
2
: to put (oneself) into action or to tiring effort
don't exert yourself too much
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