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
Artau has been a longtime member of the Republican Party and the conservative Federalist Society, which exerts a significant influence on judicial appointments at the state and federal levels.
—
Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Likewise, Lululemon’s poor performance may have created encouragement for more new brands, while discount retailers continue to exert pressure from below, all giving Foot Locker and its new parent Dick’s plenty to think about.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Some Fed watchers worry Trump could try to give the US central bank a MAGA makeover in an effort to exert greater influence over interest rates.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
Still, all this comes at a time when Trump has rolled over his political opposition and has exerted his muscle against the media, private law firms and individual enemies.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 5 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Jay Weaver, Miami Herald, 9 Sep. 2025
Likewise, Lululemon’s poor performance may have created encouragement for more new brands, while discount retailers continue to exert pressure from below, all giving Foot Locker and its new parent Dick’s plenty to think about.
—Mark Faithfull, Forbes.com, 9 Sep. 2025
Some Fed watchers worry Trump could try to give the US central bank a MAGA makeover in an effort to exert greater influence over interest rates.
—Matt Egan, CNN Money, 8 Sep. 2025
Still, all this comes at a time when Trump has rolled over his political opposition and has exerted his muscle against the media, private law firms and individual enemies.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 5 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 12 Sep. 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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