exercises 1 of 2

Definition of exercisesnext
plural of exercise
1
as in practices
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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2
as in uses
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

exercises

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of exercise
1
as in exerts
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 drills
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
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 exercises
Noun
These exercises are key to a long health span as well as lifespan. Gretchen Reynolds, Washington Post, 7 Jan. 2026 Practice mindfulness and relaxation techniques, such as meditation, yoga, and deep breathing exercises. Laura Dorwart, Verywell Health, 7 Jan. 2026 These attempts to keep down the unquiet dead were, besides being desecrations, exercises in a lot of heavy and often forbidden labor done on decaying bodies. Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026 Strength Workout 2 Same format, different exercises. Greg Presto, Outside, 7 Jan. 2026 The alliance will shoot down drones, hold exercises close to the Russian border, and take tougher offensive cyber action. Ian Bremmer, Time, 6 Jan. 2026 But as weapons deliveries accelerate and military exercises grow more aggressive, the margin for miscalculation around Taiwan continues to shrink. Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 5 Jan. 2026 Brief movement, mindful breathing, and grounding exercises help reduce stress, boost mood, and support overall physical health. Currie Engel, Health, 4 Jan. 2026 Only two days ago, however, China engaged in military exercises that included surrounding Taiwan and then firing missiles in the waters around the island. Tom Nichols, The Atlantic, 3 Jan. 2026
Verb
Congress exercises supervisory and oversight powers to call officials to testify. Isaac Chotiner, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026 There’s still the risk of paying him in 2027 if he gets hurt and exercises a player option, but that’s still the equivalent of a two-year deal. Grant Brisbee, New York Times, 7 Jan. 2026 The state exercises little control over life chances. Stephen Kotkin, Foreign Affairs, 16 Dec. 2025 Ophelia Spencer Underwood exercises with her daughter. Alexa Liacko, CBS News, 5 Dec. 2025 The production of opium and heroin historically flourished there, largely because of lawlessness in border areas where Myanmar’s central government exercises only minimum control over various ethnic minority militias, some of them partners in the drug trade. CNN Money, 4 Dec. 2025 While Nuuk exercises extensive self-government over the vast, mostly frozen island, Denmark controls its foreign and defense policy. Didi Kirsten Tatlow, MSNBC Newsweek, 27 Nov. 2025 The actual statements are blacked out, but Fitzpatrick said the prosecutor seems to have ignored the fact that a grand jury may not draw a negative inference about a person who exercises his right not to testify in front of it. Sydney Lake, Fortune, 18 Nov. 2025 Christy Houvouras exercises daily, eats right and has smoked fewer than 20 cigarettes in her lifetime. Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 10 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exercises
Noun
  • Eco effort Currently working on its Green Globe certification, the ASEAN Green Hotel Award and the Hanoi City Green Energy Award are just two recent accolades the hotel picked up for its sustainability practices.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 7 Jan. 2026
  • Death, fear, and sorrow unify the disparate practices.
    Rivka Galchen, New Yorker, 7 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Its modular architecture allows custom sizes, voltages, and geometries, enabling unconventional uses such as structural integration into vehicle frames, drones, or chassis designs.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 6 Jan. 2026
  • As proposed, the project will feature acres designated for industrial, retail and hotel uses.
    Mathew Miranda January 6, Sacbee.com, 6 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • My agonizing over a coin toss illustrates the basic distortion that gambling exerts on spectating.
    Rand Richards Cooper, Hartford Courant, 8 Jan. 2026
  • The team also uncovered how CISTR-ACT exerts its influence.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 16 Dec. 2025
Verb
  • This impressive deal only applies to the six-piece set, which includes five compression packing cubes and one drawstring bag in select colors.
    Emily Belfiore, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
  • The mandate also applies to Banner Health’s facilities in California, Colorado, Nebraska, Nevada, and Wyoming.
    Center Square, The Washington Examiner, 8 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • But what alarms him most is the silence from the business community.
    Eva Roytburg, Fortune, 20 Oct. 2025
  • While Cherry is more versed at keeping her rage simmering just below the surface, Laura struggles to hide her anguish and disgust, which alarms those closest to her.
    Aramide Tinubu, Variety, 10 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • There are lessons to be learned.
    Christian Clark, New York Times, 9 Nov. 2025
  • Solar storms and background cosmic radiation could pose significant risks to settlers, and lessons from this mission could help NASA protect human crews who may eventually spend time there.
    Matthew Glasser, ABC News, 8 Nov. 2025
Noun
  • At this point reduce watering to 2 to 3 times per week, apply light applications of fertilizer during the growing season, prune plants lightly in fall to winter, and add fresh mulch in fall.
    Lauren Landers, The Spruce, 10 Jan. 2026
  • The backpack-sized system uses compact hydrogen fuel cells to deliver long-lasting, stable power for applications where charging infrastructure is limited or unavailable.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 10 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • Manufacturing for these units is concentrated at the Jining base, which utilizes proprietary super-drawing lines.
    Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 7 Jan. 2026
  • This clever organizer set utilizes vertical space in your closet with a unique design that can hold leggings, jeans, trousers, scarves, hats, and much more.
    Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Exercises.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exercises. Accessed 11 Jan. 2026.

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