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
That devotion to daring, the embrace of breathtaking spectacle (or reckless ambition), has exerted an irresistible tug on French leaders for centuries.
—
Lee Hockstader, Washington Post, 26 July 2024
But the host star has a misaligned orbit with the second star, which exerted gravitational forces on the planet and stretched out its orbit, the researchers said.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 17 July 2024
Haag’s testing found that the gun, with replaced parts, was unable to discharge without at least two pounds of pressure being exerted to pull the trigger.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 13 July 2024
Repetitive motions: Activities like cycling and rowing require you to lean forward and exert extra pressure on your tailbone.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 12 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for exert 
Lee Hockstader, Washington Post, 26 July 2024
But the host star has a misaligned orbit with the second star, which exerted gravitational forces on the planet and stretched out its orbit, the researchers said.
—Ashley Strickland, CNN, 17 July 2024
Haag’s testing found that the gun, with replaced parts, was unable to discharge without at least two pounds of pressure being exerted to pull the trigger.
—Aja Romano, Vox, 13 July 2024
Repetitive motions: Activities like cycling and rowing require you to lean forward and exert extra pressure on your tailbone.
—Anna Giorgi, Verywell Health, 12 July 2024
See all Example Sentences for exert
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'exert.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near exert
Cite this Entry
“Exert.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/exert. Accessed 30 Jul. 2024.
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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