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
But the royal gown that the Queen wore in Pakistan is a vivid example of the kind of soft power that can be exerted by a head of state who is otherwise without executive or legislative potency, especially one who takes a keen interest in international affairs, as Elizabeth II clearly did.
—
Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
The new data comes as the Iran war has strangled the global supply chain as Iran exerts its control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-third of global fertilizer shipments flowed before the war.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
In athletes, fat stored in muscle — predominantly in muscle fiber droplets — is an important energy reserve that the body taps into when a person exerts an extraordinary amount of energy.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026
The merger aimed to distance the party from Sasikala’s influence amid mutual concerns that her faction exerted undue control over the party and prevent a split in the AIADMK government.
—Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exert
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Rebecca Mead, New Yorker, 17 Apr. 2026
The new data comes as the Iran war has strangled the global supply chain as Iran exerts its control over the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-third of global fertilizer shipments flowed before the war.
—Marco Quiroz-Gutierrez, Fortune, 16 Apr. 2026
In athletes, fat stored in muscle — predominantly in muscle fiber droplets — is an important energy reserve that the body taps into when a person exerts an extraordinary amount of energy.
—Kaitlin Sullivan, NBC news, 14 Apr. 2026
The merger aimed to distance the party from Sasikala’s influence amid mutual concerns that her faction exerted undue control over the party and prevent a split in the AIADMK government.
—Andrew Pereira, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 Apr. 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 20 Apr. 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
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
