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
After years of cardio dominating the fitness conversation, exercises that build strength are now widely recognized as crucial to health and well-being. Currie Engel, Health, 13 Jan. 2026 The state still exercises weak and ineffective oversight, and still resists much meaningful change. Teri Sforza, Oc Register, 12 Jan. 2026 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
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
  • In their recommendation, the commission members added a condition to limit future uses of the land to residential, office and low-intensity commercial uses.
    Bridget Fogarty, jsonline.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Meanwhile, Congress has also ventured into the sphere, which would be a much larger aim at AI for all kinds of uses, but nothing has gotten to a formative stage.
    Lance Eliot, Forbes.com, 30 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • That ice exerts enormous weight—ice can add 500 pounds of weight to power lines, according to the Air Force Safety Center.
    Andrea Thompson, Scientific American, 26 Jan. 2026
  • How China exerts its influence across the globe Start with the political architecture.
    Dewardric L. McNeal, CNBC, 11 Jan. 2026
Verb
  • The designation only applies to the sign, not the attached building, which houses Americana Pizza.
    Mark Dee, Idaho Statesman, 29 Jan. 2026
  • The ideal model securely streams biometric data into clinical systems, applies advanced analytics within provider workflows and translates insights into coordinated care delivery across pharmacies, community services and home support.
    Sahar Hashmi, Forbes.com, 29 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
  • Ruhe said the debate reflects lessons learned from nearly two years of war.
    Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • Other teachers who are part of the ARTLC testify to the immense difficulty of teaching these sorts of lessons without support from school administrators.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Around 1,650 mining permit applications were pending as of 2023, Reuters reported.
    Preeti Jha, semafor.com, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The government accused them of using fake, never-filed IRS forms and lying on loan applications for pandemic relief funds.
    Julia Coin, Charlotte Observer, 30 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 1 Feb. 2026.

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