break a sweat

idiom

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.

Examples of break a sweat in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
But if Morant can’t find a way to put his imprint on this series at some point, Memphis will have a hard time even getting the Thunder to break a sweat before this series is over. William Guillory, New York Times, 23 Apr. 2025 The tone shifts to genuine horror with Christopher Lloyd’s nightmarish performance as the fascist toon-executioner Judge Doom, whose urban renewal plans would make Robert Moses break a sweat. Samantha Bergeson, IndieWire, 21 May 2025 Finally, Sports Core is where to go to break a sweat. Wendy Altschuler, Forbes, 23 Jan. 2025 There’s more: The makeover room now has pink instead of purple walls, and there’s a gym for contestants to break a sweat in. Katie Decker-Jacoby, StyleCaster, 14 Jan. 2025 See All Example Sentences for break a sweat

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Break a sweat.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/break%20a%20sweat. Accessed 12 Jul. 2025.

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!