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Synonyms

sweaty

American  
[swet-ee] / ˈswɛt i /

adjective

  • sweatier,
    comparative
  • sweatiest
    superlative
  1. covered, moist, or stained with sweat.

  2. causing sweat.

  3. laborious.


sweaty British  
/ ˈswɛtɪ /

adjective

  1. covered with sweat; sweating

  2. smelling of or like sweat

  3. causing sweat

"Collins English Dictionary — Complete & Unabridged" 2012 Digital Edition © William Collins Sons & Co. Ltd. 1979, 1986 © HarperCollins Publishers 1998, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2006, 2007, 2009, 2012

Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

Inflected Forms

Adjectives


Etymology

Origin of sweaty

First recorded in 1325–75, sweaty is from the Middle English word swety. See sweat, -y 1


Vocabulary lists containing sweaty

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

See Examples For:

Ari Emanuel delivers a tawdry backroom narrative of sweaty grappling for advantage.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2026

Lucinda Harrison, 24, from London says she often books taxis that turn out to be electric vehicles, and has to endure the trip feeling nauseous, sweaty and clammy.

From BBC ● Oct. 3, 2026

By paying attention to changes in your body like increasing heart rate and feeling sweaty, you can pause, think and wait to decide.”

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 25, 2026

Empowered, I leaned in, like a sweaty extra in Nolan’s “The Odyssey,” feeling none of the danger but all of the drama.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 24, 2026

So he went with a bad solution: he put the painting—fragile, irreplaceable, unprotected—under his sweaty white smock.

From "The Mona Lisa Vanishes" by Nicholas Day

But halfway in, even I noticed our ride was leisurely; everyone going the opposite way looked sweatier than we were.

From Seattle Times ● Mar. 11, 2023

Who am I to begrudge anyone for seeking out joy in the midst of a pandemic even if that joy starts with a slimier, sweatier depiction of another pandemic?

From Salon ● Dec. 18, 2020

But he has never been greater, or sweatier, than he is as a master of high-wire hustle-and-bustle in this latest sustained anxiety attack of a thriller from New York brothers Josh and Benny Safdie.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 1, 2019

Mr. van der Voort was nonchalant on the stripe, though his face grew redder and sweatier as the match wore on.

From New York Times ● Dec. 28, 2018

Maybe a little sweatier, a little more awkward.

From "Eleanor & Park" by Rainbow Rowell

“We are, hands down, the sweatiest animal on the planet,” writes Bill Gifford in “Hotwired.”

From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 16, 2026

The set continued with a clutch of UK rap anthems - Ladbroke Grove, Thiago Silva, Kiss and Tell - turning it into one of the weekend's sweatiest shows.

From BBC ● Jun. 29, 2025

Waltz and Hegseth are delivering the worst and sweatiest responses, which likely indicates that they are feeling the most heat about losing their jobs.

From Slate ● Mar. 26, 2025

It’s made from soft mohair, which stays cool in summer and warm in winter, and moisture-wicking “Drynamix” fiber to keep your feet dry, even on the sweatiest adventures.

From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 3, 2024

Taking notice of his ability, the teacher eagerly teamed him up with the heaviest, sweatiest guys in the class.

From Through these Eyes The courageous struggle to find meaning in a life stressed with cancer by Lauren Ann Isaacson

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