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
Education is another sector where government funding exerts significant influence, as the Trump Administration is now demonstrating.
—
John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Upon his release from the hospital, the pope was told to rest for at least two months, not to exert himself and to avoid meeting with crowds of people.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
The zigzag outlines of his pendant lights, for instance, exert a kind of magnetic force like lightning.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
In any case icebreakers are not military vessels in the broad sense, military power is exerted by other means, which the U.S. does have in abundant supply.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exert
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John Cassidy, New Yorker, 14 Apr. 2025
Upon his release from the hospital, the pope was told to rest for at least two months, not to exert himself and to avoid meeting with crowds of people.
—Phaedra Trethan, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025
The zigzag outlines of his pendant lights, for instance, exert a kind of magnetic force like lightning.
—The New York Times, New York Times, 6 Apr. 2025
In any case icebreakers are not military vessels in the broad sense, military power is exerted by other means, which the U.S. does have in abundant supply.
—Newsweek Staff, MSNBC Newsweek, 5 Apr. 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 21 Apr. 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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