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
But, sadly, both can exert enormous pressure on strands, easily breaking the hair.
—
Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2025
Trump has moved to place loyalists in high-level positions in a bid to exert control over a Justice Department that has investigated him for years.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
The threat of recidivism hangs over his head like a dark cloud, exerting itself on Ricky’s mind and body alike — the anxiety often expressed itself in uncontrollable shaking.
—Matthew Creith, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2025
In addition, lingering questions about the value of postsecondary education, a greater number of nontraditional options for advanced education, and a continuing shift away from college degrees as an employment requirement all mean more downward pressures will be exerted on postsecondary enrollment.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for exert 
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Philipp Wehsack, Vogue, 30 Jan. 2025
Trump has moved to place loyalists in high-level positions in a bid to exert control over a Justice Department that has investigated him for years.
—Hannah Parry, Newsweek, 29 Jan. 2025
The threat of recidivism hangs over his head like a dark cloud, exerting itself on Ricky’s mind and body alike — the anxiety often expressed itself in uncontrollable shaking.
—Matthew Creith, IndieWire, 27 Jan. 2025
In addition, lingering questions about the value of postsecondary education, a greater number of nontraditional options for advanced education, and a continuing shift away from college degrees as an employment requirement all mean more downward pressures will be exerted on postsecondary enrollment.
—Michael T. Nietzel, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025
See all Example Sentences for exert
Dictionary Entries Near exert
Cite this Entry
“Exert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exert. Accessed 10 Feb. 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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