break a sweat

phrase

US
: to begin to sweat
He started running and soon broke a sweat.
He loaded all five boxes without breaking a sweat.
often used figuratively to say that something is not hard for someone to do
He gave a perfect performance and didn't break a sweat.

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Cite this Entry

“Break a sweat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20a%20sweat. Accessed 7 Mar. 2026.

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