exertion

noun

ig-ˈzər-shən How to pronounce exertion (audio)
Definition of exertionnext
1
as in activity
energetic movement of the body for the sake of physical fitness often the television addict's greatest attempt at exertion was switching channels on the remote control

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance
2
as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result the number of blueberries that we were finding was hardly worth the exertion

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 exertion Printed, copied, and circulated among an extraordinarily literate population, the Constitution executed a covenant and allowed, too, for the exertion of power over vast distances. — Literary Hub, 10 Sep. 2026 District officials are implementing temporary measures at school sites without AC, such as cooling zones, ensuring hydration and minimizing outdoor physical exertion. — Karen Garcia, Los Angeles Times, 10 Sep. 2026 Three minutes of intense exercise may have more beneficial impacts on our physiology and health than 90 minutes of more moderate exertion. — Gretchen Reynolds, Washington Post, 9 Sep. 2026 Cardio Load provides a rolling seven-day breakdown of your exertion, along with a target to hit for optimal training gains without overexertion. — Andrew Gebhart, PC Magazine, 19 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exertion
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exertion
  1. activity
  2. effort
  3. conditioning
  4. work
  5. exercise
Noun
  • In March, officials said the number of national security cases involving activity by hostile states, including Iran, increased by 50% in the six months to December 2025.
    — ALASTAIR GRANT, Arkansas Online, 29 Sep. 2026
  • The 2025 tax cuts and spending law preserved the federal tax exemption for municipal bonds, including qualified private-activity bonds, a type of municipal bonds used to finance private or nonprofit projects with a public benefit.
    — Luke Fountain, CNBC, 29 Sep. 2026
Definition of activity
Noun
  • For decades, the European Union has led the world in implementing policies designed to cut emissions, creating the world’s most important price on carbon and crafting the rules of the road for a wide range of regulatory efforts.
    — Justin Worland, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
  • Pan, a pediatrician, made national headlines while in the Legislature for leading California’s efforts to enact strict school vaccine laws.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of effort
Noun
  • When temperatures soar, the city’s recreation centers welcome residents who lack air conditioning.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 1 Oct. 2026
  • In 2018, Maryland football player Jordan McNair suffered an exertional heatstroke during a football conditioning workout.
    — Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 30 Sep. 2026
Definition of conditioning
Noun
  • Designed for ranch work and rugged driving, the Terra pickup features green paint, 37-inch tires on 18-inch wheels, heavy-duty side steps, a front bull bar, a roof basket with lights, and expanded cargo-bed storage.
    — Chase Jordan October 3, Charlotte Observer, 3 Oct. 2026
  • But early mornings and after-work hours tend to be the busiest times.
    — TIME Staff, Time, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of work
Noun
  • China has deployed troops alongside Russian forces for a large multinational military exercise that Moscow says incorporates lessons from the war in Ukraine, including the growing role of drones, electronic warfare and unmanned ground systems.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 4 Oct. 2026
  • To hold adults forever responsible for their words — not actions — as teenagers is an exercise in cruelty.
    — Matt Calkins OutKick, FOXNews.com, 3 Oct. 2026
Definition of exercise

Browse Nearby Words

exerting
exertion
exertions
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exertion.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exertion. Accessed 5 Oct. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

More Commonly Mispronounced Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)

12 Lovely and Unusual Words for the Natural World
See More

Popular

See More

Do You Need a New Language Peeve?

7 Great Ways to Say 'Great'

The Longest Long Words List
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
name tags
Words Named After People Quiz Find out who’s behind "leotard," "morphine," an...
See All