exude
Americanverb (used without object)
verb (used with object)
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to send out, as sweat; emit through pores or small openings.
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to project or display conspicuously or abundantly; radiate.
to exude cheerfulness.
verb
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to release or be released through pores, incisions, etc, as sweat from the body or sap from trees
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(tr) to make apparent by mood or behaviour
he exuded confidence
Other Word Forms
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.
Vocabulary lists containing exude
"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from all 4 Acts
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"The Crucible" -- Vocabulary from Act 1
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Grade 11, List 6
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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.
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
Renderings of the project shared exclusively with Realtor.com reveal that the properties exude elegance and feature state-of-the-art appliances and modern finishes.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 1, 2026
On some level, it seems they were trolling Stephen Miller, who by conventional standards does not exactly exude sexual magnetism.
From Salon • Dec. 31, 2025
With his wiry frame and shy eyes, the British actor has demonstrated in films such as “La Chimera” and “The Mastermind” an appetite for soft-spoken characters who exude a gentle masculinity.
From Los Angeles Times • Nov. 21, 2025
Some people exude their futures, good or bad.
From "East of Eden" by John Steinbeck
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.
