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exertion

exertion

23 5.0
Strong physical or mental effort that makes you tired
  • noun
  • /ɪɡˈzɜrʃən/
translation icon : esfuerzo
  • His face turned red from the exertion of climbing the steep hill.
  • physical exertion
  • mental exertion
  • mild exertion

Like if you're spending too much time in that, it's, it's maybe higher in terms of peak exertion.

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Examples

  • She used to be a yoga instructor, and she was saying that that extreme physical exertion leads to like, mental clarity and zenness.

  • Great things were never achieved without exertion.

  • Also, physical exertion is so positive for the mental state and the physical state for taking on all that you do as a mom.

  • I had thought I was getting stronger, but this exertion was too much for me.

    Fiction book (1997)
  • So they were both doing the exact same amount of exercise, the exact same amount of exertion, except the results were completely different.

  • Keep busy but avoid unnecessary exertion.

  • His face was ruddy, and he wheezed with the exertion of walking across the room.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Lainey's face was red from exertion, from the steamy, fragrant heat of the kitchen.

    Fiction book (1990)
  • After a few minutes, Riker was breathing hard and sweating from the exertion, despite the chilly air.

    Fiction book (1992)
  • Red-faced with anger and exertion, Emile turned and stormed into the ornate white stone castle.

    Fiction book (1997)

Synonyms

effort
vsexertion
1.0

Use of physical or mental energy to try to do something

is the same idea but stresses completing something difficult
labor
vsexertion
  • US
606 1.4

Work done using physical effort, often a hard task

covers both work and single acts of using energy to achieve something
energy
vsexertion
553 1.0

Physical or mental strength that helps you stay active

is the act of applying physical or mental force to accomplish something hard
exercise
vsexertion
455 1.0

Activity that makes your body stronger and healthier

is effort used to achieve a difficult goal rather than fitness activity
strain
vsexertion
72 4.3

A quality or feeling that runs through something, like an idea in a speech

is similar but covers effort not always as intense
sweat
vsexertion
41 2.3

Hard work that needs a lot of effort

focuses on the energy used rather than the informal sense of hard work
travail
vsexertion
  • Literature
11 8.8

Hard work that needs a lot of effort and causes pain

is broader and can be less continuous or less formal than this toil
elbow grease
vsexertion
  • Informal
7 4.1

A lot of hard work with your hands and arms to clean or shine things

is more general and includes mental effort as well as physical tasks
mental energy
vsexertion
4 3.9

The ability to think clearly and focus on a task

is the actual use of energy to perform a hard mental or physical task
physical exertion
vsexertion
3 3.4

Using a lot of effort with your body during hard work or exercise

includes both physical and mental effort, not only bodily work
straining
vsexertion
3 4.2

A strong physical effort to use force or lift something

focuses on the result or amount of energy used rather than the process

Antonyms

54 1.6

A calm, stress-free state when you rest or enjoy free time

8 4.5

A time when someone is not working or active

Compounds

Using a lot of effort with your body during hard work or exercise

How Hard

strain
72 4.3
exertion
23 5.0
light work
  • Informal
3 1.0
least effort
1 3.4

Surface Forms

exertion singular
exertions plural

Morphology

exertion = exert (transparent) = exert + ion

The noun is a straightforward nominalization of the verb 'exert' with the productive suffix '-ion', so its meaning ('an act or instance of exerting') is directly predictable.

Etymology

Exertion comes from the verb exert, made of ex- meaning 'out' and a root that means 'to put' or 'push', like the ex- in exit or export. So, exertion is the effort you 'put out' when you use your physical or mental energy.