exertion

noun

ex·​er·​tion ig-ˈzər-shən 

: the act or an instance of exerting

especially : a laborious or perceptible effort

Synonyms of exertion

• activity
• conditioning
• exercise

Examples of exertion in a Sentence

He was panting from the exertion of climbing the stairs.

an easy sport that requires little physical exertion

Recent Examples on the Web

Traditionally, performance had been an unhealthy model, defined by maximum physical exertion and exhaustion, as in the lives of jazz musicians in the 1940s and ’50s. —Diedrich Diederichsen, Artforum, 1 Dec. 2025

And routine activities, such as snow removal, require tiring physical exertion. —Eileen Falkenberg-Hull, MSNBC Newsweek, 26 Nov. 2025

Functional capacity, a predictor of heart health, is your ability to perform daily tasks that require physical exertion, such as walking up stairs or carrying groceries. —Melanie Radzicki McManus, CNN Money, 16 Nov. 2025

Beyond the physical exertion, the work takes a toll. —Sasha Rogelberg, Fortune, 16 Nov. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

circa 1676, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for exertion

• assertion
• cistercian
• coercion
• desertion
• insertion
• mercian
• overexertion
• reassertion

Kids Definition

exertion

noun

ex·​er·​tion ig-ˈzər-shən 

: the act or an instance of exerting