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 bad influence on his students
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
Prior to this year, a president hadn't exerted his power to go over a governor's head to call on the National Guard without their request since 1965.
—
Alana Wise, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025
German defense minister Boris Pistorius said Thursday that Russian satellites were shadowing German satellites, raising alarm at the prospect that Moscow is looking to space to exert its military force.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
It was filed as the White House has taken steps to exert influence in unprecedented ways on the department, blurring the line between law and politics at an agency where independence in prosecutorial decision-making is a foundational principle.
—Eric Tucker, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025
Rocks have tiny fissures into which water can seep; when the temperature drops, the water expands into ice, exerting pressure and widening the cracks.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Alana Wise, NPR, 27 Sep. 2025
German defense minister Boris Pistorius said Thursday that Russian satellites were shadowing German satellites, raising alarm at the prospect that Moscow is looking to space to exert its military force.
—Brendan Cole, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 Sep. 2025
It was filed as the White House has taken steps to exert influence in unprecedented ways on the department, blurring the line between law and politics at an agency where independence in prosecutorial decision-making is a foundational principle.
—Eric Tucker, Twin Cities, 25 Sep. 2025
Rocks have tiny fissures into which water can seep; when the temperature drops, the water expands into ice, exerting pressure and widening the cracks.
—Dhruv Khullar, New Yorker, 24 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exert
Cite this Entry
“Exert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exert. Accessed 1 Oct. 2025.
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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