exacts

verb

present tense third-person singular of exact
1
as in demands
to ask for (something) earnestly or with authority every war inevitably exacts the greatest sacrifice possible from some of the nation's best and brightest

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2
as in imposes
to establish or apply as a charge or penalty vowed to exact a heavy fine from any hockey player engaging in such outrageous behavior on the ice

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in extorts
to get (as money) by the use of force or threats that loan shark can be counted upon to exact repayment of his loan by whatever means necessary

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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 exacts Ali then exacts his revenge, pumping several rounds into Alamo's chest as the antagonistic figure falls for good. — Joey Nolfi, Entertainment Weekly, 1 June 2026 Shrinking lake ice exacts its price Depending on how much greenhouse gases warm the planet in the coming years, the average lake could lose up to 10 to 28 days of ice cover by the end of the century, says Sapna Sharma, a global change biologist at York University in Canada. — Berly McCoy, NPR, 2 Mar. 2026 Colonialization exacts a heavy toll. — Taylor Crumpton, Time, 10 Feb. 2026 But the Seahawks and their passionate fans will take it; this title represents Seattle's second Super Bowl triumph and exacts a measure of revenge for the heart-wrenching, last-second defeat in Super Bowl 49. — Jim Reineking, USA Today, 9 Feb. 2026 Despite the toll Bug exacts, however, Coon is in exceptionally good humor—if with the blinking optimism of a new year in an unstable reality. — Juan A. Ramírez, Vogue, 9 Jan. 2026 Could the Golden Globes be where Kathy exacts her revenge? — Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Jan. 2026 Afghanistan is, once again, under a Taliban regime that exacts even more extreme restrictions than those of Anjuman’s childhood. — Literary Hub, 11 Dec. 2025 However, mythmaking exacts costs on our understanding of the past. — Isaac Butler, The Atlantic, 3 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exacts
  1. demands
  2. imposes
  3. squeezes
  4. requires
  5. wrings
Verb
  • An experience that demands the big screen, featuring even more astounding effects choreography than its predecessor, Godzilla Minus Zero cranks up the terror while always keeping its post-WWII Japan narrative at human eye level.
    — Jill Goldsmith, Deadline, 11 Aug. 2026
  • His blend of humor and pathos demands a high-wire act from his ensembles.
    — Maureen Lee Lenker, Los Angeles Times, 10 Aug. 2026
Definition of demands
Verb
  • The legislation imposes new work, eligibility and certification restrictions on Medicaid recipients that is projected to cut nearly $800 billion from Medicaid health insurance program for poor Americans over the next decade.
    — Bruce Japsen, Forbes.com, 9 Aug. 2026
  • Still, a traditional blockade risks escalation and imposes extensive military costs on China.
    — Eugene Gholz, Foreign Affairs, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of imposes
Verb
  • Whereas the Scranton method mainly involves molding ultrahot steel in giant forging presses, Repkon added a step in which a fast-spinning machine squeezes and rolls out the metal like clay on a potter’s wheel.
    — Jesse Coburn, ProPublica, 12 Aug. 2026
  • Among them, the missiles are difficult to manufacture, supply chain squeezes can interrupt production, and missile production decisions are also made years in advance.
    — James Powel, USA Today, 9 Aug. 2026
Definition of squeezes
Verb
  • To avoid a runoff, Graham Nordone needed to pass the 50% threshold in Tuesday’s special primary election, as South Carolina law requires a candidate to win more than half of the vote to secure their party’s nomination.
    — Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 12 Aug. 2026
  • That requires dialogue, especially during difficult times, a fearlessness to confront rather than cower, and in-person meetings not memos.
    — Dana O’Neil, CNN Money, 12 Aug. 2026
Definition of requires
Verb
  • Unfortunately, the underwhelming revelations don’t elicit the tears Kore-eda regularly wrings.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 24 July 2026
  • The perennial funnyman suffered an immense tragedy earlier this year with the loss of his daughter, Katherine, yet still wrings laughs out of flamboyant director Oliver Putnam on Only Murders in the Building five seasons in.
    — Rebecca Ford, Vanity Fair, 25 June 2026
Definition of wrings

Browse Nearby Words

exactness
exacts
exaggerate
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Cite this Entry

“Exacts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacts. Accessed 18 Aug. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of exacts for Spanish Speakers

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