exert

American  

[ig-zurt] / ɪgˈzɜrt /

verb (used with object)

• exerts,
  present (3rd person singular)
• exerted,
  past participle,  past
• exerting
  present participle

1. to put forth or into use, as power; exercise, as ability or influence; put into vigorous action.

   to exert every effort.

2. to put (oneself ) into strenuous, vigorous action or effort.

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exert British  

/ ɪɡˈzɜːt /

verb

1. to use (influence, authority, etc) forcefully or effectively

2. to apply (oneself) diligently; make a strenuous effort

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• exertion
  noun
• superexert
  verb (used with object)
• exertive
  adjective
• nonexertive
  adjective
• unexerted
  adjective
• well-exerted
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Participles

• exerting
  present
• exerted
  past

Conjugated Forms

Present

• exert
  simple
• exerts
  simple
• have exerted
  perfect
• has exerted
  perfect
• am exerting
  progressive
• are exerting
  progressive
• is exerting
  progressive
• have been exerting
  perfect progressive
• has been exerting
  perfect progressive

Past

• exerted
  simple
• had exerted
  perfect
• was exerting
  progressive
• were exerting
  progressive
• had been exerting
  perfect progressive

Future

• will exert
  simple
• will have exerted
  perfect
• will be exerting
  progressive
• will have been exerting
  perfect progressive

Etymology

Origin of exert

First recorded in 1650–60; from Latin ex(s)ertus, past participle of exserere “to thrust out,” from ex- ex- ¹ + serere “to connect, join together”

Explanation

Exert basically means to put forth effort to do something. For example, when you exert yourself in a workout, you can really feel the burn in your muscles. The Latin verb exserere — with its derivative form exsertus, which is the source of our word — means to "put forth." That's where exert gets its meaning of physical force — consider that when you try hard at something, you put forth effort to do it, you push yourself. But exert can refer to other ways you "push": you exert your influence to convince others to think your way; when one nation exerts its power on another; and gravity exerts its force on us, holding us down on earth.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

exert exerts exerted exerting

"There's always a lot of lobbying, and ultimately perhaps also attempts to exert pressure on the committee," the secretary of the Nobel committee, Kristian Berg Harpviken, told AFP in an interview.

From Barron's ● Oct. 1, 2026

“It’s starting to edge into that restrictiveness zone where it’s going to begin to exert downward pressure on risk assets and economic activity,” said Joseph Purtell, a portfolio manager and rates trader at Neuberger Berman.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 25, 2026

“There’s only so much control we can exert over our lives and circumstances,” she said.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 18, 2026

But critics say the new rules could further boost Beijing's ability to exert pressure on its nationals' activities abroad.

From BBC ● Sep. 15, 2026

The door was stiff and it was heavy, and she could not get a good enough grip on either it or the cage wall to exert much pressure.

From "Mrs. Frisby and the Rats of NIMH" by Robert C. O'Brien

The southern hemisphere contains more of the planet's ocean water than the northern hemisphere and so exerts a bigger influence on average sea temperatures.

From BBC ● Aug. 24, 2026

Former Mexican and American security officials note that while the February confrontations exposed how little control the government exerts over parts of Jalisco, the cartels understand the economics of the moment.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

If one spouse exerts control and the other is disengaged or kept out of the loop, filing tax returns can inflame tensions and drive a wedge into the relationship.

From MarketWatch ● Mar. 5, 2026

Here, Beethoven exerts a compulsion for triumphant glory.

From Los Angeles Times ● Feb. 24, 2026

Reality only exerts its pressure through the needs of everyday life—the need to eat and drink, to get shelter and clothing, to avoid swallowing poison or stepping out of top-story windows, and the like.

From "1984" by George Orwell

Celtic captain Callum McGregor lords it over days like this, but the supreme central midfielder was Dan Neil, not just in his outstanding goals but in the control and the leadership he exerted.

From BBC ● Sep. 13, 2026

Morgan was at the center of a web of banks and industrial enterprises that exerted unprecedented control over the country’s commerce.

From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 7, 2026

The top U.S. cities exerted their influence as centers of commerce, trade, finance and dissent.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 4, 2026

The 46% of Monster.com poll respondents who identified micromanagement as a reason to leave a job may have found the version Chef Fields exerted on Carmy particularly uncomfortable.

From Salon ● Jul. 3, 2024

He set his bag on the floor and exerted pressure.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

And changing the behavior isn’t necessarily about exerting more willpower or coming up with a better system.

From Slate ● Sep. 23, 2026

"Seeing a substantial increase in repetitions without the athletes feeling like they were exerting themselves any harder is a fascinating psychobiological outcome."

From Science Daily ● Sep. 15, 2026

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said: "We are going to continue exerting pressure, and we've had very good discussions here already."

From Barron's ● Sep. 1, 2026

But the league forced Frank McCourt to sell the Dodgers in 2012 by exerting pressure and threatening a financial takeover or disciplinary action that would have stripped operational control.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 20, 2026

That he was only the smartest kid in the universe because, one night, he wolfed down the first sugary snack he could find without exerting any effort.

From "The Smartest Kid in the Universe" by Chris Grabenstein

Related Words

• apply
• bring to bear
• exercise
• expend
• strive
• utilize
• wield