exercise 1 of 2

Definition of exercisenext
1
2
as in practice
something done over and over in order to develop skill a young piano student dutifully going through the standard finger exercises

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3
as in use
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose the observation that the best exercise for losing weight is the exercise of one's ability to say no to food

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

exercise

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to exert
to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively a senator who consistently exercises his clout in Congress to get pork barrel projects for his state

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2
as in to practice
to do over and over so as to become skilled the only way to exercise your writing skills is to do more writing

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3
as in to use
to put into action or service commended the firefighters for exercising really good judgment in that emergency

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exercise
Noun
Right-wing outlets blamed Michelle Obama’s exercise regimen for an uptick in pedestrian deaths after people started walking more. Annie Levin, Washington Post, 10 Feb. 2026 Trooper Edwin Rodriguez, Trooper David Montanez and Trooper Casey LaMonte are each charged with involuntary manslaughter and causing serious bodily injury to a person participating in a training program involving physical exercise. Matt Schooley, CBS News, 10 Feb. 2026
Verb
Boating conditions are poor across offshore waters south of Cape Canaveral, while small craft need to exercise caution near the inlets. Garfield Hylton, The Orlando Sentinel, 10 Feb. 2026 Do not exercise in the hours before or after drinking. Brandi Jones, Verywell Health, 10 Feb. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exercise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exercise
Noun
  • The challenge is confirming biological activity while eliminating non-biologic explanations.
    Big Think, Big Think, 9 Feb. 2026
  • During his 156-day trial, prosecutors accused him of conspiring with six former Apple Daily staffers, two activists and others to request foreign forces to impose sanctions or blockades or engage in other hostile activities against Hong Kong or China.
    Kanis Leung, Los Angeles Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Interestingly, the characters on the coin are Chinese, even though it was produced in Japan during the mid-19th century — a common practice at the time.
    Andrea Margolis, FOXNews.com, 10 Feb. 2026
  • On this day, as the NHL chartered most of its Olympians to Milan and teams stepped into a rink draped in Olympic logos for practice, the dream became real.
    Pierre LeBrun, New York Times, 9 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • Volunteers spoke of the risks of verbal and physical confrontations with ICE agents, including the use of pepper spray and other irritants against observers and even arrests.
    Ray Sanchez, CNN Money, 8 Feb. 2026
  • It was shared with the AP on condition that the news organization not identify the country whose peacekeepers compiled the findings for internal use by their senior command.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 8 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • The supermassive black holes at the heart of galaxies, even when seemingly dormant, exert a powerful, quiet influence.
    Paul Sutter, Space.com, 11 Feb. 2026
  • And yet the drugs still manage to exert their influence in there.
    Hannah Jocelyn, New Yorker, 11 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Eight of these units were connected to each other and a linear actuator was installed at one end of the line to apply the force needed to activate the elastocaloric effect.
    IEEE Spectrum, IEEE Spectrum, 5 Feb. 2026
  • Regardless of the type, apply the fertilizer in late winter to prepare your tree for the upcoming growing season.
    Emily Hayes, Martha Stewart, 5 Feb. 2026
Verb
  • Andrew Musgrave crossed the finish line in cross-country skiing today in a tank top, and the cold didn’t seem to bother him one bit.
    Andrew Greif, NBC news, 13 Feb. 2026
  • My damp clothes didn’t bother either one of us.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 13 Feb. 2026
Noun
  • For a midlayer, our editors love the Outdoor Research Vigor Grid Fleece Quarter-Zip Pullover ($110) that features thermoregulating ActiveTemp™ fabric treatment great for keeping you at the right temp through high-exertion activities.
    Emilee Coblentz, Outside, 7 Feb. 2026
  • The physical exertion and cold weather combined make snow shoveling a risky endeavor even for those who don’t have existing heart health issues.
    Helen Carefoot, Flow Space, 30 Jan. 2026
Noun
  • Stafford, who turns 38 on Saturday, worked through a back issue that sidelined him for all of training camp and passed for a league-best 46 touchdowns and 4,707 yards.
    Gary Klein, Los Angeles Times, 6 Feb. 2026
  • The new study notes that Kanzi’s lexigram training could have primed him to better recognize symbols and that his language training might have changed his brain.
    Evan Bush, NBC news, 5 Feb. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Exercise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exercise. Accessed 14 Feb. 2026.

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