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
Technology can offer would-be exploiters unparalleled opportunity to exert coercive control, including by monitoring and potentially limiting the older adult’s interactions with others.
—
Nina A. Kohn, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
But for Lowell, a fixture in Washington legal circles for decades, fighting a presidential administration's attempt to exert control over federal regulators is nothing new.
—Erin Doherty, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
This perception is shared by the private sector, which is exerting increasing pressure on the Brazilian government to grant Chinese firms greater access to the Brazilian market.
—Hussein Kalout, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2025
European Union foreign ministers remained sharply divided during a meeting in Copenhagen on Saturday over the war in Gaza, with some urging the bloc to exert significant economic pressure on Israel, while others firmly opposed such measures.
—Mrinmay Dey, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Nina A. Kohn, Forbes.com, 2 Sep. 2025
But for Lowell, a fixture in Washington legal circles for decades, fighting a presidential administration's attempt to exert control over federal regulators is nothing new.
—Erin Doherty, CNBC, 2 Sep. 2025
This perception is shared by the private sector, which is exerting increasing pressure on the Brazilian government to grant Chinese firms greater access to the Brazilian market.
—Hussein Kalout, Foreign Affairs, 2 Sep. 2025
European Union foreign ministers remained sharply divided during a meeting in Copenhagen on Saturday over the war in Gaza, with some urging the bloc to exert significant economic pressure on Israel, while others firmly opposed such measures.
—Mrinmay Dey, USA Today, 2 Sep. 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 6 Sep. 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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