exercise 1 of 2

noun

ˈek-sər-ˌsīz How to pronounce exercise (audio)
Definition of exercisenext
1
as in activity
energetic movement of the body for the sake of physical fitness the doctor ordered plenty of fresh air and exercise

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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
as in to bother
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the slightest change in travel plans is enough to get him all exercised

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Knowing exactly what's going to happen in the sky turns a casual meteor watch into a rather more calculated exercise. — Jamie Carter, Space.com, 16 Oct. 2026 The autumn of Austin Abrams marches on with Whalefall, his second one-man genre exercise in the span of a month. — Brian Davids, HollywoodReporter, 16 Oct. 2026
Verb
For decades, the United States favored an international order that forbade wars of conquest, upheld freedom of the seas, maintained a generally open global economy, and allowed populations to exercise democratic rights, even if autocracies remained. — Andrea Kendall-Taylor, Foreign Affairs, 16 Oct. 2026 The appeals court’s opinion issued Wednesday, which supplemented an opinion filed on July 15, found that Milian blocked prosecutors from exercising their discretion, which includes seeking the death penalty. — Grethel Aguila, Miami Herald, 16 Oct. 2026 See All Example Sentences for exercise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exercise
  1. activity
  2. practice
  3. use
  4. exert
  5. apply
  6. bother
  7. exertion
  8. training
Noun
  • For guests staying longer, the hotel can arrange activities including truffle hunts, seasonal wine harvest experiences, and tours of nearby towns and historical sites.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
  • Saks’ holiday campaign also will support Make-a-Wish through fundraising activity.
    — David Moin, Footwear News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of activity
Noun
  • Larsson has missed practice time and the final three preseason games because of his illness, and Smith missed the entire preseason after straining his calf during training camp.
    — Anthony Chiang, Miami Herald, 17 Oct. 2026
  • Russia has also publicly acknowledged the drone attack on a refinery and broadcast images on state media, breaking with its usual practice in order to play up the incident.
    — Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 17 Oct. 2026
Definition of practice
Noun
  • Earlier this month, the emirate launched AiNative, a program with OpenAI, Microsoft and Mohamed bin Zayed University of Artificial Intelligence, to train 20,000 government workers in practical and responsible AI use by the end of the year.
    — Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
  • Potential uses include drug discovery, neuroscience, energy, aerospace, robotics and advanced manufacturing research.
    — CBS News, CBS News, 13 Oct. 2026
Definition of use
Verb
  • Hamas could restrict the system to exert pressure internally, the official said, while Netanyahu could restrict it to pressure Hamas.
    — Eric Cortellessa, Time, 18 Oct. 2026
  • Eventually, Alonso will want his side to exert control over opponents rather than embrace this Russian-roulette brand of football.
    — Conor O'Neill, New York Times, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of exert
Verb
  • The approach applies manufacturing practices to research and development, allowing engineers and machinists to modify components and processes quickly as designs evolve.
    — Jijo Malayil, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • Al Hassan wants renewal to happen automatically without needing to apply.
    — Inzamam Rashid, Fortune, 14 Oct. 2026
Definition of apply
Verb
  • Palo Alto Networks did that after buying [Israeli startup] CyberArk, but why would most companies bother?
    — Liz Hoffman, semafor.com, 12 Oct. 2026
  • That woman was truly unbothered, a term tossed around online, but the literal act of not being bothered is impossible for most people beyond the quirkiest, like my onetime neighbor, or maybe Fran Lebowitz.
    — Marisa Meltzer, Vanity Fair, 12 Oct. 2026
Definition of bother
Noun
  • The Bureau of Labor Statistics defines physically demanding jobs as those that require certain levels and durations of physical exertion, such as climbing, heavy lifting, pushing, pulling, standing or walking.
    — Lorie Konish, CNBC, 23 Sep. 2026
  • Adidas Running Hydration & Matcha Ritual Vest, which reimagines the traditional running vest as an on-the-go matcha kit for runners balancing exertion with recovery.
    — Sofia Celeste, Footwear News, 23 Sep. 2026
Definition of exertion
Noun
  • The contract covers engineering, technical assistance, technology integration, supply-chain development, workforce training and digital transformation initiatives.
    — Prabhat Ranjan Mishra, Interesting Engineering, 15 Oct. 2026
  • The program provides training in barista skills, espresso brewing, earning a food handler’s license, learning point-of-sale systems, customer service skills, food prep and other more general workplace skills.
    — Kansas City Star, Kansas City Star, 15 Oct. 2026
Definition of training

Browse Nearby Words

exemption
exercise
exercised
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Cite this Entry

“Exercise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exercise. Accessed 19 Oct. 2026.

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Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about exercise

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