exertions

noun

plural of exertion
as in efforts
the active use of energy in producing a result the number of blueberries that we were finding was hardly worth the exertion

Synonyms & Similar Words

Relevance

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 exertions 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 Thanks to the quality of the fish, word of mouth, foreign guidebooks, and now Moe’s exertions on Instagram, there are long lines at the door, especially on weekends. — David Remnick, New Yorker, 8 June 2026 Not everyone appreciated the exertions. — Literary Hub, 13 May 2026 Ahmad plays Shah Latif, a British Pakistani actor, who, owing to the exertions of his faithful, often frustrated agent, Felicia (Weruche Opia), is improbably auditioning to be the next James Bond. — Television Critic, Los Angeles Times, 25 Mar. 2026 That, plus an extra day to recover from their European exertions, with Forest also going to extra time and penalties in Denmark on Thursday, leads me to switch to a home win. — Oliver Kay, New York Times, 21 Mar. 2026 Vaccarello, who was born and raised in Belgium to Sicilian parents, spends a month in Los Angeles twice each year, usually in March and November, a recuperation from the semiannual exertions of the women’s collection. — Rob Haskell, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2025 The little girl began to feel drowsy after her exertions at the swimming pool and decided to curl up beside her. — Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 26 Sep. 2025 Finally, tuckered out from our exertions, the five or six of us buddies retreated to a dark corner of my backyard to admire our handiwork. — Monitor Contributors, Christian Science Monitor, 29 Aug. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for exertions
  1. efforts
  2. works
  3. pains
Noun
  • Minneola City Councilman David Yeager’s efforts to annex his new home into the city earlier this summer sparked a nasty debate on the council that led to two members being censured last week for incivility.
    — James Wilkins, The Orlando Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Search and rescue efforts are only just beginning, and these first hours are filled with uncertainty, but also with hope.
    — Melanie Goodfellow, Deadline, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of efforts
Noun
  • Her international exhibitions attracted huge crowds and her works often sold for more than $1 million.
    — Kaori Kaneko, USA Today, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Other highlights include the 50th anniversary of Anacostia Park’s beloved roller skating pavilion; fairs dedicated to works by female artists; and international festivals with food, music and dancing.
    — Mark Jenkins, Washington Post, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of works
Noun
  • In cases that are considered to be too severe — such as when a pregnant woman at the center began experiencing labor pains — those individuals are airlifted to a nearby hospital.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 28 Aug. 2026
  • California has taken pains to eliminate coal as a source of electricity, and this would be the first coal export terminal in California — or anywhere on the West Coast.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of pains

Browse Nearby Words

exertion
exertions
exerts
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Exertions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/exertions. Accessed 30 Aug. 2026.

Copy Citation
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!

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

'A' or 'an'? What about before 'h'? An Indefinite Article Guide

Why is '-ed' sometimes pronounced at the end of a word?

What's the difference between 'fascism' and 'socialism'?

Commonly Misspelled Words
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of

Even More Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Words of the Week - Aug. 28

Why do we say 'break a leg'?
See More

Popular

See More

A Who’s Who Regarding ‘Who’s’ and ‘Whose’

Ye Olde Nincompoop: Old-Fashioned Words for 'Stupid'

14 Phobias You Probably Haven't Heard Of
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
skateboard-dog-hat
Wordmaxxing Slang Quiz Give your vocabulary a glow up by getting sendy w...
See All