exercise 1 of 2

Definition of exercisenext
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

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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

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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

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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

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

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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
For an extra dose of exercise, check out the Monon Rail Trail, a former rail line that stretches from Indy to the northern suburbs. Katy Spratte Joyce, Travel + Leisure, 3 July 2026 While finger exercises may temporarily engage the brain—and even improve performance on certain cognitive tasks—that’s quite different from preventing Alzheimer’s. Stephanie Anderson Witmer, Health, 3 July 2026
Verb
Chat apps, email, and cloud files have become the primary record of how power is exercised. Steven Melendez, Scientific American, 2 July 2026 The focus is shifting from accumulating knowledge and execution to defining problems, exercising judgment, and building innovative solutions. C.m. Rubin, Forbes.com, 1 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for exercise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exercise
Noun
  • Officials accused her in the letter of violating the university’s time, place and manner policy, which sets rules on free speech activities on campus.
    Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 30 June 2026
  • As the escape-room activity kicks off — the guests have 30 minutes to find Aesha’s crew — the boys find plenty of opportunity to make insinuating jokes about tying up the girls, some (Coop) more wholesome than others (Luke).
    Rafaela Bassili, Vulture, 30 June 2026
Noun
  • In March, South Korean President Lee Jae Myung warned on X that oil refiners and corporations engaged in price-fixing would be held accountable, vowing to deploy all lawful measures against unethical business practices.
    Jenny Lee, CNBC, 6 July 2026
  • Even with this practice, there should be an effort, if possible, to avoid training or competition during the hottest times of day.
    Nicole Williams, AJC.com, 6 July 2026
Noun
  • Beyond some areas just being warmer, population, geography and infrastructure also make a difference in air conditioning use and adoption.
    Ignacio Calderon, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • The creation of this content included the use of AI based on templates created, reviewed and edited by journalists in the newsroom.
    NC Weather Bot, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Beijing has exerted greater institutional control in Tibet since Xi Jinping became the country's president in 2012.
    Kanishka Singh, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • Avard grew concerned that the Chinese bottled water company Nongfu Spring, which purchased a more than 375,000 square-foot industrial property in Nashua in 2025, would begin to exert influence over the local political process.
    Max Grinstein, The Washington Examiner, 3 July 2026
Verb
  • Wiener asked for amendments to the bill during the bill’s review and in the committee meeting, including that the lifetime ban only be applied to Tier 3 members.
    Andrew J. Campa, Los Angeles Times, 2 July 2026
  • The ruling establishes the legal standard going forward and does not change the law that applied previously.
    Jackson Thompson OutKick, FOXNews.com, 2 July 2026
Verb
  • For all the chatter about his choices in handbags, Haaland doesn’t seem remotely bothered.
    Teddy Brown, CNN Money, 30 June 2026
  • What bothers me is the foot-dragging, the spinning in circles, the slow degradation of these characters into annoying stereotypes.
    Erik Kain, Forbes.com, 29 June 2026
Noun
  • To stay safe, people should stay indoors whenever possible, keep well-hydrated, and take frequent breaks from any exertion.
    Scott Neuman, NPR, 30 June 2026
  • Out comes a guttural groan, her exertion a tight whip cracking open a black hole of pain.
    Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 25 June 2026
Noun
  • Video footage of the dogs at Dingo Doggies Campus shows the pups walking on treadmills, training in the gym and relaxing on beds while booms and fireworks sounds can be heard in the background.
    Saman Shafiq, USA Today, 3 July 2026
  • In early 2024, Oura rolled out Resilience, a 14-day model that reframes stress as a training load.
    Samantha Agate, Charlotte Observer, 3 July 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Exercise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exercise. Accessed 7 Jul. 2026.

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