exercise 1 of 2

noun

ˈek-sər-ˌsīz How to pronounce exercise (audio)
Definition of exercisenext
1
as in activity
energetic movement of the body for the sake of physical fitness the doctor ordered plenty of fresh air and exercise

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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

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
as in to bother
to trouble the mind of; to make uneasy the slightest change in travel plans is enough to get him all exercised

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

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
Medication, exercise, and calcium and vitamin D supplements are often used for prevention and treatment. — Ayesha Gulzar, Verywell Health, 31 July 2026 Eating enough protein and doing strength exercises may help slow this loss. — ABC News, 31 July 2026
Verb
State guidance and tenant advocates say rent hikes meant to punish a tenant for filing a code complaint, reporting discrimination, or exercising other legal rights can be challenged in court. — Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 31 July 2026 And the reasons may be rooted as much in Southerners’ attitudes about being overweight as in their diets and exercise patterns. — Aj Willingham, AJC.com, 30 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for exercise
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exercise
  1. activity
  2. practice
  3. use
  4. exert
  5. apply
  6. bother
  7. exertion
  8. training
Noun
  • Tourism accounts for roughly 7% of local GDP, and traffic restrictions and evacuations caused by the wildfires continue to affect tourism activity.
    — , CNBC, 4 Aug. 2026
  • As part of the week’s activities, Oreatha’s at the Point will host Dining in the District featuring city council member Wayne Martin.
    — Olivia Wakim, AJC.com, 4 Aug. 2026
Definition of activity
Noun
  • His smiley story of slapping a $5 bill on Jalen Carter’s chest after the defensive tackle’s contract extension contributes to a preseason energy that feels a lot like when Hurts and Nick Sirianni rode out of practice together on a golf cart in 2024.
    — Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 2 Aug. 2026
  • There were certain days during camp — Family Day and the team's Friday Night Lights practice at nearby Greater Latrobe High School — when Heyward knew the intensity level would spike.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 2 Aug. 2026
Definition of practice
Noun
  • And as for Amazon’s core cloud business, which has seen its own boost from post-training reinforcement learning and agent tool use, Jassy noted that 85% of global IT spending is still on-premises.
    — Amanda Gerut, Fortune, 31 July 2026
  • All of the rentals below make good use of this accessibility, with many just a few minutes from the destination’s iconic surf.
    — Nicole Kliest, Vogue, 31 July 2026
Definition of use
Verb
  • Most of the influential women on this show exert power through dragons or their proximity to them.
    — Sean T. Collins, Vulture, 3 Aug. 2026
  • But even as Vancouver has begun the painful process of revising its harm-reduction policies, the city still exerts a powerful hold on the imagination of liberal leaders in the United States.
    — Michael Powell, The Atlantic, 30 July 2026
Definition of exert
Verb
  • During the LolaVie styling session, Aniston also praised Cox’s hair while applying the brand’s Glossing Detangler.
    — Angelique Brenes, PEOPLE, 30 July 2026
  • However, If a governor is elected for a term of fewer than three years, that term will not apply against governor term limits.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 29 July 2026
Definition of apply
Verb
  • My summer dresses will sadly be retired in the coming weeks, but a denim midi skirt is the ideal swap on days when I can’t be bothered to wear jeans.
    — Olivia Cigliano, InStyle, 4 Aug. 2026
  • While acknowledging a desire for the honor, Overeem states he's not overly bothered, having faced similar situations throughout his long career.
    — Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 3 Aug. 2026
Definition of bother
Noun
  • And changes to Runna’s algorithms will slow structured workout paces down in hot weather to help better-balance perceived, and actual, exertion during a workout.
    — Andrew Williams, Forbes.com, 29 July 2026
  • With that, his exertions in perfecting his homegrown colony process—the green smoothie for caterpillars, testing procedures for parasites—came into clearer view for me.
    — Vann R. Newkirk II, The Atlantic, 28 July 2026
Definition of exertion
Noun
  • Some of the crowd’s energy Friday may have been due to the fact that training camp practices are closed this summer because of construction at the team’s practice facility in uptown Charlotte.
    — Scott Fowler, Charlotte Observer, 1 Aug. 2026
  • The Guard troops plan to continue training with the new technology alongside federal agency partners including the FBI and Department of Homeland Security to gain further expertise in using it to detect drone threats within the United States.
    — Zita Ballinger Fletcher, Forbes.com, 1 Aug. 2026
Definition of training

Browse Nearby Words

exemption
exercise
exercised
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Cite this Entry

“Exercise.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exercise. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on exercise

Nglish: Translation of exercise for Spanish Speakers

Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about exercise

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