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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What remains is a new era that demands a new lens for measuring greatness.—
Charles Baggarly,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
12 June 2026
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Ultimately, effective narrative change demands leaders align policies and actions with their stories, ensuring real-world impact and not just superficial language shifts.—
Cheryl Robinson,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2026
Verb
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Throughout the year, AFR maintains a Stage 1 Burn Restriction for Aurora, which imposes restrictions aimed at preventing the start of structural or wildland fires.—
Jennifer McRae,
CBS News,
12 June 2026
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The bill effectively imposes a limit on financial payouts by allowing compensatory damages but not punitive damages.—
ArsTechnica,
ArsTechnica,
11 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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This specific energy discharge behavior is relevant for machinery that requires brief, intense energy outputs, such as unmanned aerial vehicles during departure and descent sequences.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
13 June 2026
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Not only that, S&P Dow Jones Indices also requires companies to have made a profit in its most recent quarter and over the sum of its last four quarters.—
Stan Choe,
Fortune,
13 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 15 Jun. 2026.
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