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
Councilmember Yusef Salaam, who represents the area and exerts tremendous influence over whether or not One45 will pass in the Council, expressed myriad concerns about the project.
—
Téa Kvetenadze, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025
Each individual gene involved in a polygenic trait may exert only a small influence on that trait.
—Kermit Pattison, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
Trump has yet to exert much pressure on the debate.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 16 May 2025
His gaze has reinvented the forms of contemporary filmmaking, creating a historiography in images that has exerted an incalculable influence on countless film directors.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for exert
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Téa Kvetenadze, New York Daily News, 20 May 2025
Each individual gene involved in a polygenic trait may exert only a small influence on that trait.
—Kermit Pattison, Scientific American, 20 May 2025
Trump has yet to exert much pressure on the debate.
—Alexis Simendinger, The Hill, 16 May 2025
His gaze has reinvented the forms of contemporary filmmaking, creating a historiography in images that has exerted an incalculable influence on countless film directors.
—Leo Barraclough, Variety, 15 May 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 3 Jun. 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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