exercise 1 of 2

1
2
as in practice
something done over and over in order to develop skill a young piano student dutifully going through the standard finger exercises

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in use
the act or practice of employing something for a particular purpose the observation that the best exercise for losing weight is the exercise of one's ability to say no to food

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

exercise

2 of 2

verb

1
as in to exert
to bring to bear especially forcefully or effectively a senator who consistently exercises his clout in Congress to get pork barrel projects for his state

Synonyms & Similar Words

2
as in to practice
to do over and over so as to become skilled the only way to exercise your writing skills is to do more writing

Synonyms & Similar Words

3
as in to use
to put into action or service commended the firefighters for exercising really good judgment in that emergency

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

4

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of exercise
Noun
This exercise forced teams to acknowledge and address long-standing issues without immediate rebuttals. Molly Peck, USA Today, 9 Apr. 2025 This whole exercise of proving the absence of antisemitism as a prerequisite to criticizing Israeli government policy is absurd. Raja Krishnamoorthi, MSNBC Newsweek, 9 Apr. 2025
Verb
Sweating is a natural reaction to your body needing to cool off, and there are times when profusely sweating is a normal response to something physical, such as exercising, experiencing heat or going through puberty or menopause, according to Stanford Medicine. Hannah Yasharoff, USA Today, 6 Apr. 2025 The court can only exercise jurisdiction in crimes committed on or after its creation on July 1, 2002. Jessie Yeung, CNN Money, 5 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for exercise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exercise
Noun
  • This cohort makes for a super sweet gift (easter basket toppers, anyone?), or, as a does-it-all activity for a DIY spa night with the besties.
    Annie Blackman, Allure, 10 Apr. 2025
  • Phishing scams often trick victims into revealing sensitive information through fake emails or websites, while data breaches expose vast amounts of personal data that criminals can exploit for fraudulent activities.
    Kurt Knutsson, CyberGuy Report, FOXNews.com, 10 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Tariffs are taxes on imports and are intended to reduce the practice.
    Erik Sherman, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025
  • What’s more, some private plastic surgery practices don’t accept insurance anyway, which is another thing to inquire about before a consultation.
    Nicola Dall'Asen, Allure, 7 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Those with weakened immune systems due to HIV/AIDS, organ transplants, chemotherapy or long-term steroid use may also face a higher risk of developing pneumonia.
    Adrianna Rodriguez, USA Today, 2 Apr. 2025
  • But if the technology continues to advance, the scope of its potential uses may expand beyond that.
    John Timmer, ArsTechnica, 2 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Steadily, Emery’s side exerted control and after Simon Adingra had a goal ruled out for handball, Villa seized the initiative.
    Jacob Tanswell, New York Times, 3 Apr. 2025
  • This neglect has opened the door for China and Russia to exert increasing influence across the Western Hemisphere.
    MATIAS SPEKTOR, Foreign Affairs, 1 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • In other words, the same asset that feels untouchable when trying to borrow from a bank suddenly becomes fully visible when applying for student aid.
    Ilona Limonta-Volkova, Forbes.com, 9 Apr. 2025
  • After the announcement of the acquisition, China took its turn to apply the pressure.
    Glenn Taylor, Sourcing Journal, 8 Apr. 2025
Verb
  • Because Congress never bothered to write a law to establish it.
    Jay Cost, The Washington Examiner, 28 Mar. 2025
  • Chicago Bears - Will Campbell, OL, LSU Will Campbell has fallen a bit due to his shorter arm length, but that likely won't bother Ben Johnson.
    Paul Du Quenoy, MSNBC Newsweek, 28 Mar. 2025
Noun
  • Some of the sessions were so intense participants required IV fluids to recover from the physical exertion and drug use, the indictment reads.
    Molly Crane-Newman, New York Daily News, 4 Apr. 2025
  • Just to walk requires balance and real physical exertion.
    Jim Clash, Forbes.com, 1 Apr. 2025
Noun
  • Additionally, students and alumni will have access to professional headshots and Big Interview, an AI online interview practice training system.
    Orlando Sentinel Staff, The Orlando Sentinel, 3 Apr. 2025
  • That’s despite many of the people in the chat, including Vance, Hegseth and Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard, having military backgrounds that would have included yearly secrecy training.
    Dan Vergano, Scientific American, 2 Apr. 2025

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exercise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exercise. Accessed 16 Apr. 2025.

More from Merriam-Webster on exercise

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!