Dictionary.com

Popular Searches

 Thesaurus.com
Synonyms

cold sweat

American  

noun

  1. a chill accompanied by perspiration, caused by fear, nervousness, or the like.

cold sweat British  

noun

  1. informal a bodily reaction to fear or nervousness, characterized by chill and moist skin

"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
cold sweat Idioms  

  1. see in a cold sweat.

Etymology

Origin of cold sweat

First recorded in 1700–10

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.

If the thought of configuring a VPN makes you break out in a cold sweat, this one’s for you.

From Salon

As the boat bobbed on the gentle current, I began to feel nauseous, and a cold sweat broke out on my brow.

From Literature

Her face was drenched with cold sweat, from the effort of walking.

From Literature

“Pitt officials have provided no evidence of tampering, but the accusations have been enough to stir the college football masses into a cold sweat.”

From Los Angeles Times

Of course, I wake up in cold sweats some nights thinking exactly that.

From The Wall Street Journal

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.