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
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
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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
Could the Golden Globes be where Kathy exacts her revenge?
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Jan. 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
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
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
Could the Golden Globes be where Kathy exacts her revenge?
—Nate Jones, Vulture, 9 Jan. 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
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
Verb
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The agreement outlines a 60-day ceasefire period; the strait could potentially close up again after that, or logistical concerns could arise if Tehran demands to earn traffic fees.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
19 June 2026
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Addressing this complex challenge demands comprehensive strategies, including reducing local emissions, transitioning to clean energy, and global efforts to tackle super pollutants.—
Jamie Hailstone,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Verb
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Not work-life-balance-wise, but that’s sort of one of the ways that imposes itself.—
Jason P. Frank,
Vulture,
19 June 2026
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The charging-time penalty the new method imposes could be less than three seconds per session—a pretty tolerable penalty for a potential gain of two or three extra years of useful battery life.—
IEEE Spectrum,
IEEE Spectrum,
17 June 2026
Verb
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View gallery - 10 images Intended for full-time living, the Porto squeezes a lot into its modest footprint.—
New Atlas,
New Atlas,
8 June 2026
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Even Zach Cherry squeezes plenty from his part as the dealership’s manager, who grows loudly resentful when Nate seems more emotionally invested in his biological children than coworkers.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
27 May 2026
Verb
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The county exempted the proposal from CEQA, which requires projects to undergo an extensive state environmental review before breaking ground.—
Katie King,
Los Angeles Times,
21 June 2026
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But because Pennsylvania now requires absentee ballots to be received by Election Day, the date requirement no longer serves its intended purpose, Democrats argue.—
Maureen Groppe,
USA Today,
21 June 2026
Verb
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Similarly, the cast wrings some poetry out of the prosaic, often aphoristic dialogue.—
Robert Lloyd,
Houston Chronicle,
1 May 2026
-
Barkin, who was dating Levinson at the time of the film’s production, gamely strives to anchor the odd, histrionic film with her performance and wrings real pathos out of Lynn’s brittle and wounded demeanor.—
Alison Foreman,
IndieWire,
10 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exacts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exacts. Accessed 22 Jun. 2026.
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