exercise

[ ek-ser-sahyz ]

See synonyms for: exercise exercised exercises exercising on Thesaurus.com

noun

bodily or mental exertion, especially for the sake of training or improvement of health: Walking is good exercise.
something done or performed as a means of practice or training: exercises for the piano.

a putting into action, use, operation, or effect: the exercise of caution.
a written composition, musical piece, or artistic work executed for practice or to illustrate a particular aspect of technique.
Often exercises. a traditional ceremony: graduation exercises.
a religious observance or service.

verb (used with object),ex·er·cised, ex·er·cis·ing.

to put through exercises, or forms of practice or exertion, designed to train, develop, condition, or the like: to exercise a horse.
to put (faculties, rights, etc.) into action, practice, or use: to exercise freedom of speech.

to use or display in one's action or procedure: to exercise judgment.
to make use of (one's privileges, powers, etc.): to exercise one's constitutional rights.
to discharge (a function); perform: to exercise the duties of one's office.
to have as an effect: to exercise an influence on someone.
to worry; make uneasy; annoy: to be much exercised about one's health.

verb (used without object),ex·er·cised, ex·er·cis·ing.

to go through exercises; take bodily exercise.

Origin of exercise

First recorded in 1300–50; Middle English (noun), from Middle French exercice, from Latin exercitium, from exercit(us) “trained” (past participle of exercēre “to train,” from ex- ex-¹ + -ercēre, combining form of arcēre “to restrain”) + -ium, noun suffix

synonym study For exercise

2. Exercise, drill, practice refer to activities undertaken for training in some skill. Exercise is the most general term and may be either physical or mental: an exercise in arithmetic. Drill is disciplined repetition of set exercises, often performed in a group, directed by a leader: military drill. Practice is repeated or methodical exercise: Even great musicians require constant practice.

Other words for exercise

1	activity; calisthenics, gymnastics
3	employment, application, practice, performance
6	ritual
7	discipline, drill, school
9	employ, apply, exert, practice
13	try, trouble

See synonyms for exercise on Thesaurus.com

Opposites for exercise

inaction

See antonyms for exercise on Thesaurus.com

Other words from exercise

ex·er·cis·a·ble, adjective
non·ex·er·cis·a·ble, adjective
non·ex·er·cise, noun
o·ver·ex·er·cise, verb, o·ver·ex·er·cised, o·ver·ex·er·cis·ing.
post·ex·er·cise, adjective
re·ex·er·cise, verb, re·ex·er·cised, re·ex·er·cis·ing.
un·der·ex·er·cise, verb (used without object), un·der·ex·er·cised, un·der·ex·er·cis·ing.
un·ex·er·cis·a·ble, adjective
un·ex·er·cised, adjective
well-ex·er·cised, adjective

Words that may be confused with exercise

exercise , exorcise

Words Nearby exercise

Dictionary.com Unabridged Based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

How to use exercise in a sentence

Because the best exercise is the one you’ll stick to long-term.
Use TikTok to build the perfect workout | Sandra Gutierrez G. | September 17, 2020 | Popular-Science
These wearable exercise tools contain small weights, which add an extra layer of effort to your strength training routine.
The best weighted vests for your next tough workout | PopSci Commerce Team | September 16, 2020 | Popular-Science
Strengthening those muscles with exercises like squats, leg presses, or any single leg movement, can help with the pain, Robertson says.
The best thing for back pain is actually more movement | Sara Chodosh | September 16, 2020 | Popular-Science
It’s an exercise that can lead to business optimization in novel ways.
How would an SEO agency be built today? Part 2: Current business model(s) | Sponsored Content: SEOmonitor | September 16, 2020 | Search Engine Land
As a result, I was invited in the early aughts to play a Times reporter in a “tabletop” exercise organized by New York City.
America Is About to Lose Its 200,000th Life to Coronavirus. How Many More Have to Die? | by Stephen Engelberg | September 14, 2020 | ProPublica

Any plans to grow her exercise movement must, she insists, remain “completely organic.”
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze | Lizzie Crocker | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
In the last year, her fusion exercise class has attracted a cult following and become de rigueur among the celebrity set.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze | Lizzie Crocker | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Such is her burgeoning popularity Toomey is looking to employ more instructors to lead her highly personalized exercise classes.
How Taryn Toomey’s ‘The Class’ Became New York’s Latest Fitness Craze | Lizzie Crocker | January 9, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
A lot of people ring in the New Year with vows to lose weight and exercise.
How Skinny Is Too Skinny? Israel Bans ‘Underweight’ Models | Carrie Arnold | January 8, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Frustrating as regulars find these fair-weather exercise interlopers, they were also all beginners once, he says.
How to Survive the New Year ‘Gympocalypse’ | Tim Teeman | January 6, 2015 | THE DAILY BEAST
Variety is admissible only in addition to the original exercise, but should not be substituted for it.
Expressive Voice Culture | Jessie Eldridge Southwick
The designs of Russia have long been proverbial; but the exercise of the new art of printing may assign them new features.
Blackwood's Edinburgh Magazine, No. CCCXXXIX. January, 1844. Vol. LV. | Various
The exercise of learning the names of the twenty-four Presidents is a good one for this purpose.
Assimilative Memory | Marcus Dwight Larrowe (AKA Prof. A. Loisette)
Why did he not exercise more precaution when investigating anything so suspicious as a concealed fire?
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. Sinclair
When a man's in clink, his nag gets nothing but mild exercise till his rightful rider gets out.
Raw Gold | Bertrand W. Sinclair

British Dictionary definitions for exercise

exercise

/ (ˈɛksəˌsaɪz) /

verb(mainly tr)

to put into use; employ: to exercise tact
(intr) to take exercise or perform exercises; exert one's muscles, etc, esp in order to keep fit

to practise using in order to develop or train: to exercise one's voice
to perform or make proper use of: to exercise one's rights
to bring to bear; exert: to exercise one's influence
(often passive) to occupy the attentions of, esp so as to worry or vex: to be exercised about a decision
military to carry out or cause to carry out, manoeuvres, simulated combat operations, etc

noun

physical exertion, esp for the purpose of development, training, or keeping fit
mental or other activity or practice, esp in order to develop a skill

a set of movements, questions, tasks, etc, designed to train, improve, or test one's ability in a particular field: piano exercises
a performance or work of art done as practice or to demonstrate a technique
the performance of a function; discharge: the exercise of one's rights; the object of the exercise is to win
(sometimes plural) military a manoeuvre or simulated combat operation carried out for training and evaluation
(usually plural) US and Canadian a ceremony or formal routine, esp at a school or college: opening exercises; graduation exercises
gymnastics a particular type of event, such as performing on the horizontal bar

Origin of exercise

C14: from Old French exercice, from Latin exercitium, from exercēre to drill, from ex- 1 + arcēre to ward off

Derived forms of exercise

exercisable, adjective

Collins English Dictionary - Complete & Unabridged 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

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