What does exercising mean?
"Exercising" is the present participle and gerund of the verb "exercise," and it carries two principal meanings. Its dominant modern sense refers to performing physical activity — walking, running, lifting, swimming — with the aim of improving or maintaining health, strength, or fitness; in this sense it carries strongly positive connotations of vitality, discipline, and self-care. A second, more formal sense describes the application or invocation of an abstract power, right, or quality: one may be exercising judgment, patience, restraint, authority, or a legal entitlement. The word derives ultimately from the Latin "exercere," meaning to keep busy or train, via Old French, reflecting its long association with disciplined practice rather than mere motion. Because it spans both the gymnasium and the courtroom, "exercising" is a versatile word that appears constantly in medical advice, journalism, law, and everyday conversation, and its precise meaning is almost always clear from context.
The practice or activity of performing physical exercise for health and fitness.
"Daily exercising has become a fixed part of her routine since she retired."
As a plain noun, "exercise" is usually preferred over the gerund "exercising" in careful writing.
Present participle of "exercise": performing physical activity for fitness, or applying a power, right, or quality.
"He was exercising his options under the contract when the dispute arose."
When you're "exercising," you might be lifting weights — or you might be exercising patience, which burns considerably fewer calories.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Etymology of exercising
The word traces back to the Latin verb "exercere," formed from "ex-" (thoroughly) plus "arcere" (to keep confined or drive), originally meaning to keep at work or train rigorously. It passed into Middle English through Old French "exercer," arriving by the late medieval period with its dual sense of physical drill and mental application. The spelling and pronunciation were later reshaped by association with words ending in "-ise." Cognate forms such as "exert" and the learned borrowing "exercitation" share the same Latin ancestry.
Related word forms
How exercising is actually used
In everyday modern usage, "exercising" most often refers to physical fitness activity and carries a positive connotation of self-care and discipline. In formal, legal, or political contexts it frequently appears in figurative senses such as "exercising discretion," "exercising authority," or "exercising caution." As a gerund it can function fully as a noun, taking articles and modifiers (e.g., "regular exercising"), though in this noun sense many writers prefer the simpler form "exercise."
Easily confused with exercising
"Exorcising" means driving out an evil spirit, while "exercising" means physical training or the application of a right, power, or quality.