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 lot of influence on fellow committee members
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
Even match through the first 15 minutes, as both sides have exerted a little pressure offensively without any major scoring chances so far.
—
Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026
The succession process has arguably left Iran with more hard-liners in power — or at least able to exert influence in the chaos and anxiety of the security measures Iran’s leadership relies on just to stay alive.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
The sociologists Roger Finke and Rodney Stark have argued that, historically, the most popular religious bodies tend to exert a countervailing force on the culture at large.
—Michael Luo, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
Wembanyama mired his fundamental greatness by either trying too hard to dominate or exerting his physicality in a petty way.
—Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Andrew Greif, NBC news, 16 June 2026
The succession process has arguably left Iran with more hard-liners in power — or at least able to exert influence in the chaos and anxiety of the security measures Iran’s leadership relies on just to stay alive.
—Nick Paton Walsh, CNN Money, 15 June 2026
The sociologists Roger Finke and Rodney Stark have argued that, historically, the most popular religious bodies tend to exert a countervailing force on the culture at large.
—Michael Luo, New Yorker, 14 June 2026
Wembanyama mired his fundamental greatness by either trying too hard to dominate or exerting his physicality in a petty way.
—Mark Medina, Forbes.com, 14 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for exert
Cite this Entry
“Exert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exert. Accessed 17 Jun. 2026.
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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