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
Inducing China to exert pressure on Moscow to end the war is one means of bringing about peace in Ukraine.
—
Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
State visits are a way for the royal family to exert its soft power, and took place more frequently under Queen Elizabeth the II, who hosted 112 state visits from 1952 until her death in 2022.
—Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The creature that possessed the unfortunate Ensign Gamble finds a way back from its permanent transporter buffer exile, and is able to exert a malign influence on a whole new generation of followers.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
These videos have reignited calls for tech giants to exert more control over how content appears on their platforms as some companies have scaled back their moderation efforts.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 11 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Shane Croucher, MSNBC Newsweek, 15 Sep. 2025
State visits are a way for the royal family to exert its soft power, and took place more frequently under Queen Elizabeth the II, who hosted 112 state visits from 1952 until her death in 2022.
—Natasha Lindstaedt, Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025
The creature that possessed the unfortunate Ensign Gamble finds a way back from its permanent transporter buffer exile, and is able to exert a malign influence on a whole new generation of followers.
—Richard Edwards, Space.com, 11 Sep. 2025
These videos have reignited calls for tech giants to exert more control over how content appears on their platforms as some companies have scaled back their moderation efforts.
—Hadas Gold, CNN Money, 11 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 18 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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