exercise 1 of 2

1
2
as in practice
something done over and over in order to develop skill a young piano student dutifully going through the standard finger exercises

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3
as in use
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose the observation that the best exercise for losing weight is the exercise of one's ability to say no to food

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

exercise

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to exert
to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively a senator who consistently exercises his clout in Congress to get pork barrel projects for his state

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2
as in to practice
to do over and over so as to become skilled the only way to exercise your writing skills is to do more writing

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3
as in to use
to put into action or service commended the firefighters for exercising really good judgment in that emergency

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4

Example Sentences

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.
Recent Examples of exercise
Noun
Gentle exercise, like walking or swimming, helps your muscles move blood back toward your heart. Sarah Hudgens, Health, 4 Sep. 2025 Follow Minimum Walking Guidelines The American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) advises 150-250 minutes per week of moderate physical exercise, such as brisk walking, for people who want to lose weight. Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
In a statement posted online, Secaucus Police Chief Dennis Miller commended the department for exercising restraint while responding to the incident. Julia Bonavita, FOXNews.com, 4 Sep. 2025 Over the ensuing decades—and fully informed of the substantial executive power exercised by the Commission—the Supreme Court has repeatedly and expressly left Humphrey's Executor in place, and so precluded Presidents from removing Commissioners at will. Jon Brodkin, ArsTechnica, 3 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exercise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exercise
Noun
  • Learning new methods of connecting with students Velasco began experimenting with incorporating activities into his lesson plans.
    Erick Trevino, AZCentral.com, 7 Sep. 2025
  • Human activity is suspected to be the cause of the fire, yet the exact event that triggered it has yet to be identified.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 7 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • For example, the value of the Dallas Cowboys excludes The Star, the team's 91-acre headquarters, practice facility and commercial real estate.
    Michael Ozanian, CNBC, 4 Sep. 2025
  • Wednesday night gave them plenty of practice at what that looks like, leaving behind a message after yet another loss that has been echoed too often during this flummoxing stretch.
    Fabian Ardaya, New York Times, 4 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.
    CA WILDFIRE BOT, Sacbee.com, 3 Sep. 2025
  • Here is a quick tour through recent vision tech, with examples of prescription eyeglasses tailored to specific uses.
    Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • Complex carbs exert the opposite effect.
    Bryant Stamford, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Sep. 2025
  • But Hosoda’s expressionism virtually disappears thereafter, and a dry sense of order exerts itself once the story is spirited back towards Elsinore.
    Adam Solomons, IndieWire, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The legislation will limit repayment options and cap borrowing limits for graduate students, including eliminating Graduate PLUS loans, forcing more students to apply for private loans or reconsider their education options.
    Rachel Hale, USA Today, 4 Sep. 2025
  • While mopping, its spinning pads apply 12 Newtons of downward pressure and spin at up to 200 rotations per minute (RPM).
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 4 Sep. 2025
Verb
  • The acting didn’t bother me, but the directing did.
    Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 4 Sep. 2025
  • If the odds of winning the lottery are so low, why do people bother playing?
    Charles Trepany, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • Lind’s film also documents the intense physical and mental exertion required of Isaac to pull off the role of Hamlet.
    Matthew Carey, Deadline, 28 Aug. 2025
  • The Pixel Watch 3 provides a Daily Readiness Score, Cardio Load, and Target Load to give you a sense of how well your body can handle exertion, how your fitness is progressing over time, and specific goals for your workout, respectively.
    PC Magazine, PC Magazine, 24 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • Tonyan, who had an excellent training camp and was the team’s top receiver in the preseason, is expected to return to the Chiefs.
    Blair Kerkhoff, Kansas City Star, 27 Aug. 2025
  • The question isn't whether working memory training works.
    William Jones, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Exercise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exercise. Accessed 7 Sep. 2025.

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