as in applying
to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively
parental involvement has consistently been shown to exert the most influence over a child's success in school
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Recent Examples of exerting
Drinking a lot of water is particularly important for fans and workers who are moving around a lot or exerting themselves.
—
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
17 June 2026
Wembanyama mired his fundamental greatness by either trying too hard to dominate or exerting his physicality in a petty way.
—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Italy’s national anti-mafia prosecutor, Giovanni Melillo, said the seizures form part of a broader effort to dismantle the Sicilian Mafia’s economic infrastructure and prevent it from rebuilding criminal networks capable of exerting global financial and social influence, including intimidation.
—
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Trump has been exerting growing pressure on Mexico, with questions looming over issues including human rights, national sovereignty and regional diplomacy.
—
Dorany Pineda,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
By exerting state control over key industries, Indonesia is trying to diversify its investors, according to Yudhistira.
—
Edna Tarigan,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Industry groups, meanwhile, are quashing proposals for higher taxes or stricter regulation by exerting pressure on lawmakers and cozying up to power players in the worlds of philanthropy, medicine, and science.
—
Lev Facher,
STAT,
12 May 2026
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims that the leader is lucid and exerting total control over the country that his office commands.
—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
1 May 2026
For years the owner, now 66, has watched tape, done his own player evaluations and sent observations and suggestions to DeCosta, mostly about players who might be available in later rounds — without exerting any actual decision-making power.
—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Rebecca Hersher,
NPR,
17 June 2026
Wembanyama mired his fundamental greatness by either trying too hard to dominate or exerting his physicality in a petty way.
—
Mark Medina,
Forbes.com,
14 June 2026
Italy’s national anti-mafia prosecutor, Giovanni Melillo, said the seizures form part of a broader effort to dismantle the Sicilian Mafia’s economic infrastructure and prevent it from rebuilding criminal networks capable of exerting global financial and social influence, including intimidation.
—
ABC News,
28 May 2026
Trump has been exerting growing pressure on Mexico, with questions looming over issues including human rights, national sovereignty and regional diplomacy.
—
Dorany Pineda,
Los Angeles Times,
28 May 2026
By exerting state control over key industries, Indonesia is trying to diversify its investors, according to Yudhistira.
—
Edna Tarigan,
Fortune,
26 May 2026
Industry groups, meanwhile, are quashing proposals for higher taxes or stricter regulation by exerting pressure on lawmakers and cozying up to power players in the worlds of philanthropy, medicine, and science.
—
Lev Facher,
STAT,
12 May 2026
The Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps claims that the leader is lucid and exerting total control over the country that his office commands.
—
Timothy Nerozzi,
The Washington Examiner,
1 May 2026
For years the owner, now 66, has watched tape, done his own player evaluations and sent observations and suggestions to DeCosta, mostly about players who might be available in later rounds — without exerting any actual decision-making power.
—
Michael Silver,
New York Times,
27 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exerting
Verb
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The lawyer of the future may increasingly resemble an architect, physician, or strategic advisor whose value lies not in generating work product but in validating, interpreting, and applying expertise.
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But when a friend who turned 15 started applying for work, Njea had to be honest.
Verb
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Officers conducted a search on foot and using a drone, but were unable to locate the animal.
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Rainy weather driving tips Switch on headlights - Even during daylight hours, using headlights can enhance visibility and signal your presence to other drivers.
Verb
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Nolan and the cinematographer Hoyte van Hoytema, wielding heavy IMAX cameras, shot their picture across the Mediterranean and beyond, in caves, castles, beaches, black-sand wastes, and open water.
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Elsewhere, a megaphone-wielding leader herded dozens of black cats in the style of artist Gary Baseman into some semblance of order.
Verb
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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.
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The difficulty lies in the fact that setting boundaries does not mean exercising authority harshly.
Cite this Entry
“Exerting.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exerting. Accessed 26 Jun. 2026.
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