1
as in activity
energetic movement of the body for the sake of physical fitness
the doctor ordered plenty of fresh air and exercise
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
1
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
3
as in to use
to put into action or service
commended the firefighters for exercising really good judgment in that emergency
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to bother
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy
the slightest change in travel plans is enough to get him all exercised
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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
Adrienne Down Coulson, Fortune, 2 June 2026
These include seaworthiness evaluations, deep-diving exercises, and overnight operational tests designed to validate the submarine’s performance under realistic operating conditions.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
James McNicholas, New York Times, 2 June 2026
These conditions pose challenges for travel, so exercise extra caution on the road or consider postponing your trip if possible.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for exercise
Noun
Others frame it as a change management exercise run by the Chief People Officer, narrowing the conversation to talent acquisition and reskilling.
—Adrienne Down Coulson, Fortune, 2 June 2026
These include seaworthiness evaluations, deep-diving exercises, and overnight operational tests designed to validate the submarine’s performance under realistic operating conditions.
—Atharva Gosavi, Interesting Engineering, 2 June 2026
Verb
The expectation is that Nico Paz will return after a season at Como, with the club able to exercise a buy-back clause for the Argentina midfielder worth around €9million ($10m; £8m).
—James McNicholas, New York Times, 2 June 2026
These conditions pose challenges for travel, so exercise extra caution on the road or consider postponing your trip if possible.
—Bay Area Weather Report, Mercury News, 2 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for exercise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exercise
Noun
-
There’s a dedicated kitchen for cooking classes, a craft and activity room as well as a pirate ship playground outside.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 June 2026
-
Because the eggs can survive in the soil as well, wear gloves when gardening and wash hands after outdoor activities.—
Dr. Megan Yanny,
Boston Herald,
31 May 2026
Noun
-
The lens widened further to embrace categories of practice not conventionally regarded as art, most prominently, craft; here, too, the art establishment focused on textiles and ceramics engaged with an existing modernism, as opposed to the 1970s focus on regional and communal networks.—
Katy Siegel,
Artforum,
2 June 2026
-
Thursday’s practice at Halas Hall was open to reporters, offering an opportunity to put the magnifying glass over a handful of key topics.—
Dan Wiederer,
New York Times,
1 June 2026
Noun
-
Qualls takes lead Qualls took the lead after Lindell dropped out, but Demuth, urging the use of paper ballots over the clickers, tried to appeal to Lindell voters.—
Jimmy Lovrien,
Twin Cities,
31 May 2026
-
Key Takeaways Most side effects of ginseng are mild and temporary, and serious side effects are generally associated with high doses and long-term use.—
Ann Pietrangelo,
Verywell Health,
30 May 2026
Verb
-
There can be a real temptation to want to write your own story and exert too much.—
Carita Rizzo,
Deadline,
2 June 2026
-
Iran’s efforts to exert control in the strait have raised concerns that Tehran could impose a tolling system on passing ships.—
Kevin Breuninger,
CNBC,
1 June 2026
Verb
-
Zeinab Ahmad, 31, applied for bail in the Melbourne Magistrates’ Court on two slavery charges.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
4 June 2026
-
Daniels said the sales tax surcharge will be applied to items not including fuel.—
Drew Pittock,
USA Today,
4 June 2026
Verb
-
This was a club that embraced African players before much of Europe bothered to scout the continent seriously.—
Zohran Mamdani,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
In my dream world where Emmys voters bother to watch Bait, Khan is a shoo-in.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
At the competitive level, fencing requires a great deal of coordination and physical exertion.—
Cynthia Littleton,
Variety,
28 May 2026
-
Our hunter-gatherer ancestors did not need Pilates because their diet was healthy and their environment demanded physical exertion.—
Tomas Chamorro-Premuzic,
Forbes.com,
27 May 2026
Noun
-
The chain began in New York in 2017 and focused on group boxing classes and resistance training sessions, spanning difficulty levels from amateur to professional.—
Emma Hall,
Sacbee.com,
4 June 2026
-
The program offers training from shelving to handling cash.—
Marianne Love,
Daily News,
4 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exercise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exercise. Accessed 6 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
