Dictionary

exert en · VERB

Pronunciation

• /ɪɡˈzɜːt/ (Received-Pronunciation)
• (US) audio
• /ɪɡˈzɝt/ (General-American)

Etymology

From Latin exsertus, past participle of exserō (“to stretch or thrust forth or out”), from ex- + serō (“to string together”).

Meanings

1. (transitive) To make use of, to apply, especially of something nonmaterial; to bring to bear.
   • Meanwhile Nanny Broome was recovering from her initial panic and seemed anxious to make up for any kudos she might have lost, by exerting her personality to the utmost. She took the policeman's helmet and placed it on a chair, and unfolded his tunic to shake it and fold it up again for him. 1963, Margery Allingham, chapter 19, in The China Governess: A Mystery, London: Chatto & Windus, →OCLC:
   • He considered exerting his influence on John to gain an advantage for himself.
   • How can the unions - or more specifically the RMT - possibly think this is a good time to exert a bit of industrial muscle and indulge in strikes both on the national railway and the London Underground? 2022 January 12, Christian Wolmar, “A new year... but the same old mistakes are being made”, in RAIL, number 948, pages 40–41:
   • Di Matteo clearly saw Drogba's power as a potential threat to a Barcelona defence stripped of Gerard Pique - but he barely caught sight of goal in a first 45 minutes in which the Catalans exerted their technical superiority. 2012 April 18, Phil McNulty, “Chelsea 1-0 Barcelona”, in BBC Sport:
2. (reflexive) To put in vigorous action.
   • I exerted myself in today's training.

Forms

Deriveds

overexert · unexerted · exertive · exertable · exertment · coexert

Relateds

exertion

Synonyms

exercise · assert · utilize · extend · operate

Translations (35)

de anstrengen (to put in vigorous action) · fi ponnistella (to put in vigorous action) · ja 行使する (to make use of) · es esforzar (to put in vigorous action) · ro forța (to put in vigorous action) · es ejercer (to make use of) · sv ta i (to put in vigorous action) · fi ponnistaa (to put in vigorous action) · de ausüben (to make use of) · fi käyttää (to make use of) · it esercitare (to make use of) · gl esforzar (to put in vigorous action) · pt aplicar (to make use of) · nl uitoefenen (to make use of) · txb lāl- (to put in vigorous action) · fr exercer (to put in vigorous action) · bg упражня́вам (to make use of) · mi whakawhēnanau (to put in vigorous action) · fi paneutua (to put in vigorous action) · bg напря́гам (to put in vigorous action) · mi whakarīrā (to put in vigorous action) · ro exercita (to make use of) · el ασκώ (to put in vigorous action) · sv anstränga (to put in vigorous action) · pt esforçar (to put in vigorous action) · cmn 尽力 (to put in vigorous action) · da udøve (to put in vigorous action) · it sforzare (to put in vigorous action) · el μεταχειρίζομαι (to make use of) · pl wytężyć (to put in vigorous action) · mi whakatīeke (to put in vigorous action) · cmn 施加 (to make use of) · nl inspannen (to put in vigorous action) · pl wytężać (to put in vigorous action) · da anstrenge (to put in vigorous action)