1
as in exerting
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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
2
as in practicing
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 using
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 bothering
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 exercising
Although incapable of exercising the right of suffrage themselves, why may it not be exercised for them by that active part of the society which exercises the same right for others equally incapable of acting for themselves.
—
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
The difficulty lies in the fact that setting boundaries does not mean exercising authority harshly.
—
Jose Luis Gonzalez Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
People also criticized the Fed for not exercising better oversight of the mortgage market during those go-go years.
—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
The program preaches getting healthy the old-fashioned way – eating right and exercising – and focuses on changing the environment and habits of the entire family.
—
Jon Lapook,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
To improve your sleep quality, focus on setting up a healthy bedtime routine, exercising frequently, and following a healthy eating pattern.
—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
20 June 2026
Other ways to lower cholesterol include drinking alcohol in moderation, exercising for at least 150 minutes a week, maintaining a healthy weight, and sleeping at least seven hours a night.
—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
16 June 2026
To be sure, exercising that discretion has always required a balance between political accountability and administrative neutrality.
—
Mirae Kim,
The Conversation,
15 June 2026
Lowe did not testify at trial, exercising her Fifth Amendment right, a decision the judge noted should not be held against her.
—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Ann Manov,
Harpers Magazine,
23 June 2026
The difficulty lies in the fact that setting boundaries does not mean exercising authority harshly.
—
Jose Luis Gonzalez Rodriguez,
Forbes.com,
23 June 2026
People also criticized the Fed for not exercising better oversight of the mortgage market during those go-go years.
—
Chris Isidore,
CNN Money,
22 June 2026
The program preaches getting healthy the old-fashioned way – eating right and exercising – and focuses on changing the environment and habits of the entire family.
—
Jon Lapook,
CBS News,
21 June 2026
To improve your sleep quality, focus on setting up a healthy bedtime routine, exercising frequently, and following a healthy eating pattern.
—
Mark Gurarie,
Health,
20 June 2026
Other ways to lower cholesterol include drinking alcohol in moderation, exercising for at least 150 minutes a week, maintaining a healthy weight, and sleeping at least seven hours a night.
—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
16 June 2026
To be sure, exercising that discretion has always required a balance between political accountability and administrative neutrality.
—
Mirae Kim,
The Conversation,
15 June 2026
Lowe did not testify at trial, exercising her Fifth Amendment right, a decision the judge noted should not be held against her.
—
Moná Thomas,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exercising
Verb
-
The announcement comes ahead of a visit to the United States by new Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, with Washington exerting pressure on Baghdad to ensure the factions turn in their weapons.
-
Putin’s invasion of Ukraine was not a new way of exerting and expanding power.
Verb
-
Coop — who has been practicing his knots, learning how to drive the tender, and generally being attentive and curious about his new job — does wonderfully, which earns him some praise from the bosun.
-
In many ways, Clovis Hung is a typical 15-year-old — working on getting his driver’s license, gaming with friends, practicing archery and showing up at meetings for Scouting America, previously called the Boy Scouts.
Verb
-
In court documents, O’Hara alleged the defendants violated his First and Fourth Amendment rights, accusing them of unlawfully restricting free speech and initiating an unlawful seizure while using excessive force.
-
This article was created by content specialists using various tools, including AI.
Verb
-
That shift may help explain why some couples notice their partner’s scent bothering them more during periods of conflict.
-
The chest pain that had been bothering her finally let up.
Verb
-
Normally, credit bureaus tally any credit checks within a 45-day period as one credit check, and your credit score shouldn't go down more than several points when applying to multiple lenders.
-
Madonna divorced from Guy Ritchie in 2008, before applying to adopt Mercy, and her adoption application was initially rejected by the courts.
Verb
-
By cutting down on imports, relying on vast stockpiles and utilizing more clean energy, China has been able to cushion the impact of higher prices at home, if not alleviate it completely.
-
In her post, SZA highlighted a disproportionate reliance on the creative output of Black artists by those utilizing generative AI models.
Verb
-
Driving into the estate down a dirt track, you’re met with concrete walls that frame the space with gallery-like precision, directing your eyes toward geological features rather than distracting from them.
-
There was some online angst over whether Swift was distracting from football — while the NFL itself capitalized on her fandom.
Verb
-
But the recent action on Anthropic, as well as asking OpenAI to limit its own newest model, comes after experts have fretted for months that Mythos could pose a security risk by giving hackers and other bad actors access to AI capable of finding and exploiting vulnerabilities exceptionally quickly.
-
The 2018 games in Russia similarly came under fire for accusations of bribery and exploiting workers.
Cite this Entry
“Exercising.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exercising. Accessed 5 Jul. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
