1
as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result
save your sweat: no one will appreciate your efforts anyway
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in labor
very hard or unpleasant work
it took years of sweat to bring the farm to the point where it is now
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in fear
an uneasy state of mind usually over the possibility of an anticipated misfortune or trouble
my boss told me not to get in a sweat about the accident—she'd make sure I wasn't blamed for it
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in huff
a state of nervous or irritated concern
he always ends up in a sweat during tax season
Synonyms & Similar Words
1
as in to struggle
to devote serious and sustained effort
spent the afternoon sweating over her tax returns
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in to worry
to experience concern or anxiety
don't sweat over getting the application in a day late, as it probably doesn't matter
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in to drip
to flow forth slowly through small openings
the oil coat may sweat through this varnish
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
4
as in to interrogate
slang
to put a series of questions to
the narcotics squad tried sweating the mule, but he was genuinely clueless about the inner workings of the drug operation
Synonyms & Similar Words
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 sweat
Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
Presley comes across as the most generous of performers, holding nothing back in primal-energy concerts that leave him drenched in sweat.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Both of them were clothed but were reportedly sweating, according to the complaint.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sweat
Noun
Pillows turn yellow from body soil and sweat.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 17 Feb. 2026
Presley comes across as the most generous of performers, holding nothing back in primal-energy concerts that leave him drenched in sweat.
—David Rooney, HollywoodReporter, 16 Feb. 2026
Verb
Das recommends not sweating the specifics about how much diet adds to your lifespan.
—Jackie Flynn Mogensen, Scientific American, 13 Feb. 2026
Both of them were clothed but were reportedly sweating, according to the complaint.
—Justin Muszynski, Hartford Courant, 11 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for sweat
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sweat
Noun
-
Eco effort To cover all of Inkaterra's eco initiatives would require another article entirely.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Kate Schneider’s hat trick with two goals led a well-balanced effort as Walpole used to down Ursuline 8-4.—
Kristina Banahan,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Some of the most productive conversations happen when labor, business, community advocates, and government officials engage together, not sequentially.—
Garrett Lucien,
New York Daily News,
16 Feb. 2026
-
Argentina approves President Milei’s labor law overhaul Lawmakers approved Argentinian President Javier Milei’s labor overhaul, a major victory for the libertarian leader’s economic agenda.—
Prashant Rao,
semafor.com,
16 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
That sparked fears that AI tools could eat into existing companies’ business models and customer bases.—
John Towfighi,
CNN Money,
16 Feb. 2026
-
But the fatal shootings of Renee Good and Alex Pretti have also stoked fear that people who record or otherwise monitor federal immigration operations risk arrest.—
Kristen Taketa,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
15 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
Among agonized grunts and huffs, Probst narrated the fumbles.—
Sarah Grant,
New Yorker,
2 Feb. 2026
-
David walks out of the kitchen and Moira huffs and takes his spot over the pot.—
Sabrina Weiss,
PEOPLE,
31 Jan. 2026
Verb
-
Buehler struggled in Boston, but looked good enough during his brief time with the Phillies to generate interest from the Padres and other teams.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Fefferman questioned why board members and the public have struggled to obtain detailed financial information.—
Teresa Liu,
Daily News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Anyone worried about corporate takeover was put at ease from day one.—
Moira McCarthy,
Boston Herald,
18 Feb. 2026
-
The crowded field has some Democrats worried about the possibility of both Hilton and Bianco making it into the runoff, shutting out the party that has controlled the Governor’s Office since 2011 if Democrats split the vote.—
Grace Hase,
Mercury News,
18 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
Sweat dripped, pulses pounded, and for a fleeting few hours, nothing beyond the walls of (SUB)MERCER seemed to matter, offering a rare escape no one seemed ready to let go of.—
Kelsey Stewart,
Vogue,
17 Feb. 2026
-
Antnation Boho Smocked Top Set This $37 boho set is a one-and-done spring travel outfit that’s dripping in carefree, vacation-ready style.—
Olivia Young,
Travel + Leisure,
16 Feb. 2026
Verb
-
His gripping performance as a man who is brutally interrogated by two police officers was debated in the House of Commons.—
Baz Bamigboye,
Deadline,
20 Feb. 2026
-
Over the past 15 years, he has been imprisoned, blindfolded, interrogated, and put under house arrest with a 20-year ban on making films.—
Anne Thompson,
IndieWire,
18 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Sweat.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sweat. Accessed 22 Feb. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
