exerted; exerting; exerts
1
a
: to put forth (strength, effort, etc.)
The force is exerted sideways.
b
: to put (oneself) into action or to tiring effort
won't have to exert himself moving the table
2
: to bring to bear especially with sustained effort or lasting effect
exerted a lot of influence on fellow committee members
Examples of exert in a Sentence
He had to exert all of his strength to move the stone.
He exerts a lot of influence on the other members of the committee.
the force exerted by the machine
Recent Examples on the Web
In an effort to exert even more pressure, the State Department imposed sanctions on companies and individuals across the Middle East and China for allegedly helping Iran in its war efforts.
—
Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 11 May 2026
Trump, however, has sought to exert certain executive authority during his second term by citing presidential powers designed for national emergencies.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 11 May 2026
But the current administration in Washington has exerted control over what was once a local matter.
—Monique O. Madan, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
The program, launched earlier this year, appears to be another weapon enabling hardliners and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to exert control in Iran.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Lim Hui Jie, CNBC, 11 May 2026
Trump, however, has sought to exert certain executive authority during his second term by citing presidential powers designed for national emergencies.
—Joey Garrison, USA Today, 11 May 2026
But the current administration in Washington has exerted control over what was once a local matter.
—Monique O. Madan, Sun Sentinel, 11 May 2026
The program, launched earlier this year, appears to be another weapon enabling hardliners and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to exert control in Iran.
—Tim Lister, CNN Money, 10 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for exert
Cite this Entry
“Exert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exert. Accessed 17 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
exert
verb
ex·ert
ig-ˈzərt 
1
: to put forth (as strength)
the force exerted by a machine
: bring into use or action
exert influence
2
: to put (oneself) into action or to tiring effort
don't exert yourself too much
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