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
For years the owner, now 66, has watched tape, done his own player evaluations and sent observations and suggestions to DeCosta, mostly about players who might be available in later rounds — without exerting any actual decision-making power.
—
Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Proponents of citizen journalism saw the control exerted by a few professionals over the news agenda as problematic and hoped that bringing more contributors to the process would lead to news coverage that was more representative of the general public’s issues and concerns.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
But even without new legislation, the White House can easily exert greater authority over industry.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
The devastating, almost sadistic hold Ruben exerts over the mostly masochistic Niall is gripping — but hard — to watch.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Michael Silver, New York Times, 27 Apr. 2026
Proponents of citizen journalism saw the control exerted by a few professionals over the news agenda as problematic and hoped that bringing more contributors to the process would lead to news coverage that was more representative of the general public’s issues and concerns.
—Encyclopedia Britannica, 27 Apr. 2026
But even without new legislation, the White House can easily exert greater authority over industry.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 27 Apr. 2026
The devastating, almost sadistic hold Ruben exerts over the mostly masochistic Niall is gripping — but hard — to watch.
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 24 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 28 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
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