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
Dr Lyn Goldsworthy, from the University of Tasmania and a long-time observer at CCAMLR meetings, told The Guardian that China was seeking to exert its influence in the region for geopolitical reasons, with an eye on future exploitation.
—
The Week Uk, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
Indeed, Congress had already exerted its authority in the Electoral Count Act in 1887, which institutionalized standards to reduce the extent of reliance on democratic norms.
—Jenna Bednar, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
This will translate into a smaller presence from major corporations and civil society organizations, who otherwise tend to exert pressure on negotiators and strike side deals of their own.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
Cole’s stuff is still solid but he’s clearly exerted a great deal of effort this inning.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for exert 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
The Week Uk, theweek, 6 Nov. 2024
Indeed, Congress had already exerted its authority in the Electoral Count Act in 1887, which institutionalized standards to reduce the extent of reliance on democratic norms.
—Jenna Bednar, Foreign Affairs, 5 Nov. 2024
This will translate into a smaller presence from major corporations and civil society organizations, who otherwise tend to exert pressure on negotiators and strike side deals of their own.
—Andrew Freedman, Axios, 4 Nov. 2024
Cole’s stuff is still solid but he’s clearly exerted a great deal of effort this inning.
—Tony Blengino, Forbes, 1 Nov. 2024
See all Example Sentences for exert
Dictionary Entries Near exert
Cite this Entry
“Exert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exert. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share