exerts

verb

present tense third-person singular of exert
as in applies
to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively parental involvement has consistently been shown to exert the most influence over a child's success in school

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 exerts Hydrostatic pressure – the force water naturally exerts against the body – may also help reduce mild swelling in the legs and support healthy circulation during exercise. — Daryl Austin, USA Today, 18 Aug. 2026 Simply put, when one object exerts a force on another, the second one exerts an equal and opposite force in return. — Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 10 Aug. 2026 The killing of Manzo triggered massive street protests in Uruapan and dramatized how organized crime exerts widespread control in much of Mexico. — Los Angeles Times, 5 Aug. 2026 Such power, should Washington choose to use, exerts incredible leverage on the AI ecosystem. — Alex Capri, Fortune, 4 Aug. 2026 Flow through the duct also exerts mechanical forces that align the proteins, which then assemble into a solid fiber. — Aliasger K. Salem, The Conversation, 4 Aug. 2026 But even as Vancouver has begun the painful process of revising its harm-reduction policies, the city still exerts a powerful hold on the imagination of liberal leaders in the United States. — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026 The entire operating system of a company exerts a gravitational pull toward the here and now. — Dev Patnaik, Forbes.com, 28 July 2026 Although the Florida Bar continues to make recommendations, the governor exerts significant influence over those recommendations. — Letters To The Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exerts
  1. applies
  2. uses
  3. wields
Verb
  • To test whether this applies to quantum objects too, the scientists needed to carry out the same experiment on a quantum object.
    — Ameya Paleja, Interesting Engineering, 2 Sep. 2026
  • The same principle applies to optical fiber sensing, just with much greater sensitivity.
    — Pawel Maniewski, New Atlas, 2 Sep. 2026
Definition of applies
Verb
  • Pieces must be shaped, dried, fired, glazed, fired again and tested; Przenioslo uses a community kiln and gives herself at least two months to prepare a collection.
    — Pat Mueller, USA Today, 3 Sep. 2026
  • Vita uses textiles, performance and video to speak about internet culture, along with stunning visuals that incorporate their family’s Middle Eastern diaspora and history.
    — Shelley Holcomb, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Definition of uses
Verb
  • In Georgia, the lieutenant governor wields immense power in the state Senate by presiding over floor debates and making committee assignments that give them control over what bills reach the floor for a vote.
    — AJ Willingham, AJC.com, 1 Sep. 2026
  • But the reality of who wields influence in the waterway is more nuanced than either side is willing to admit.
    — Billy Stockwell, CNN Money, 20 Aug. 2026
Definition of wields

Browse Nearby Words

exertions
exerts
exes
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exerts.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exerts. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

Copy Citation
Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

A List of Most Commonly Confused Words

Why do we use apostrophes to show possession?

Is it 'nerve-racking' or 'nerve-wracking'?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

The Words of the Week - Sept. 4
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

The Longest Long Words List

Stay Woke
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
anagrams on a chalk board
Word Builder Quiz Vol. 2 Pick the letter that when added to a word will ma...
See All