exert
Americanverb (used with object)
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to put forth or into use, as power; exercise, as ability or influence; put into vigorous action.
to exert every effort.
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to put (oneself ) into strenuous, vigorous action or effort.
verb
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to use (influence, authority, etc) forcefully or effectively
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to apply (oneself) diligently; make a strenuous effort
Other Word Forms
- exertion noun
- exertive adjective
- nonexertive adjective
- superexert verb (used with object)
- unexerted adjective
- well-exerted adjective
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”
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
They found that ACA and ORB exerted specific and opposing effects on visual encoding depending on the mouse's movement and level of arousal.
From Science Daily
The country’s highest court said Friday that a lower appeals court had made an error in ruling that the family’s namesake Bollore holding company exerted de facto control over Vivendi.
Spermine also exerts an influence on other diseases, including cancer for example.
From Science Daily
Their work shows that light can exert magnetic influence on matter, not simply illuminate it.
From Science Daily
The EU has struggled to exert influence during the two-year war in Gaza due to splits within the bloc between countries supporting Israel and those closer to the Palestinians.
From Barron's
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
