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
Trump has since sought to exert his influence over the country and acting President Delcy Rodríguez.
—
Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
Should a vessel spring a leak, the blood will fill one small segment of the face, exerting pressure until the bleeding stops.
—Jolene Edgar, Allure, 16 Mar. 2026
Its rampant star formation was triggered in part by the gravitational influence exerted by the nearby galaxy NGC 5195, the glowing core of which can be seen shining at one end of the Whirlpool Galaxy's great spiral structure.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
By scouring the nation for its contestants and instituting a revolutionary audience-voting system, American Idol became a hot topic in its early seasons and continues to exert influence on music today.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Kyle Feldscher, CNN Money, 17 Mar. 2026
Should a vessel spring a leak, the blood will fill one small segment of the face, exerting pressure until the bleeding stops.
—Jolene Edgar, Allure, 16 Mar. 2026
Its rampant star formation was triggered in part by the gravitational influence exerted by the nearby galaxy NGC 5195, the glowing core of which can be seen shining at one end of the Whirlpool Galaxy's great spiral structure.
—Anthony Wood, Space.com, 14 Mar. 2026
By scouring the nation for its contestants and instituting a revolutionary audience-voting system, American Idol became a hot topic in its early seasons and continues to exert influence on music today.
—Declan Gallagher, Entertainment Weekly, 12 Mar. 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 21 Mar. 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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