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exude

American  
[ig-zood, ik-sood] / ɪgˈzud, ɪkˈsud /

verb (used without object)

exudes, present (3rd person singular) exuded, past participle, past exuding present participle
  1. to come out gradually in drops, as sweat, through pores or small openings; ooze out.


verb (used with object)

exudes, present (3rd person singular) exuded, past participle, past exuding present participle
  1. to send out, as sweat; emit through pores or small openings.

  2. to project or display conspicuously or abundantly; radiate.

    to exude cheerfulness.

exude British  
/ ɪɡˈzjuːd /

verb

  1. to release or be released through pores, incisions, etc, as sweat from the body or sap from trees

  2. (tr) to make apparent by mood or behaviour

    he exuded confidence

"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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Etymology

Origin of exude

First recorded in 1565–75; from Latin ex(s)ūdāre “to sweat out,” from ex- ex- 1 + sūdāre “to sweat” ( see also sweat)

Explanation

To exude is to give off small amounts, usually of liquids or gases, through small openings, such as pores. Think of how you exude sweat after a workout. The word exude is often used to describe sweating — the original Latin root, sudāre means "to sweat." Still, we frequently use the word exude to refer to anything that seems to ooze or pour forth from an object or person. John F. Kennedy was said to exude confidence, while his wife, Jackie, exuded class. But the verb can also have a negative sense, as when we say a skunk exudes a foul smell.

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Vocabulary lists containing exude

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.

These Knicks don’t exude any of their hometown’s rowdy, center-of-the-planet arrogance.

From The Wall Street Journal • Jun. 8, 2026

Designed to exude a feeling of “understated luxury,” the well-appointed abode was built and decorated with only the most high-caliber materials, starting with its limestone facade, which blends beautifully with the greenery that surrounds it.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 5, 2026

Media critics were taken with the quasi-feminist defiance Kelly could exude, even when she was simply defending the circumstances of her own working-mom life.

From Slate • May 6, 2026

For example, horses that are hard for adults to handle will often exude extra kindness and attention when around children, she says.

From Los Angeles Times • Feb. 10, 2026

Some people exude their futures, good or bad.

From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck

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