as in efforts
the active use of energy in producing a result
the number of blueberries that we were finding was hardly worth the exertion
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Recent Examples of exertions
Vaccarello, who was born and raised in Belgium to Sicilian parents, spends a month in Los Angeles twice each year, usually in March and November, a recuperation from the semiannual exertions of the women’s collection.
—
Rob Haskell, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2025
The little girl began to feel drowsy after her exertions at the swimming pool and decided to curl up beside her.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
The male shadowed her, shivering after her full-bodied exertions above sandy pits where ripples of water flowed through.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 5 Feb. 2025
But the exhibition also shows that, even if only briefly, the exertions of Black people themselves brought McCabe’s vision to fruition.
—Caleb Gayle, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024
Later Renaissance masters were savvier about how gravity works on the human body, but no one was better at painting the harsh, mindless pull of it, or hinting at the secret exertions in the act of standing.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2024
Rob Haskell, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2025
The little girl began to feel drowsy after her exertions at the swimming pool and decided to curl up beside her.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025
The male shadowed her, shivering after her full-bodied exertions above sandy pits where ripples of water flowed through.
—Kevin Fixler, Idaho Statesman, 5 Feb. 2025
But the exhibition also shows that, even if only briefly, the exertions of Black people themselves brought McCabe’s vision to fruition.
—Caleb Gayle, The Atlantic, 17 Dec. 2024
Later Renaissance masters were savvier about how gravity works on the human body, but no one was better at painting the harsh, mindless pull of it, or hinting at the secret exertions in the act of standing.
—Jackson Arn, The New Yorker, 16 Oct. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exertions
Noun
-
While Walker took home the award, several members of Seattle’s defense turned in MVP-level efforts.—
Alex Valdes,
New York Times,
9 Feb. 2026
-
Instead, in an email to Blodget, a representative for Epstein’s philanthropic foundation said the foundation was hoping to remove the mugshot because doing so would help its research efforts.—
Max Tani,
semafor.com,
9 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
On the contemporary artist side, the duo Libby Rosen contributed seven luminous textile works made of marbled quilted fabric.—
Grace Edquist,
Vogue,
7 Feb. 2026
-
More than 30 of these works, created in a collaboration between people and bees, are in the exhibit.—
Myrna Petlicki,
Chicago Tribune,
7 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
White southerners took great pains to keep track of men and women like Henry Fordham.—
Eugene Robinson,
The Atlantic,
3 Feb. 2026
-
My adolescence was an ordinary one, its joys and pains small.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Exertions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exertions. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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