Dictionary.com
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.

St James' Park was in a cold sweat on the final day as Newcastle lost to Everton, but the party started after Manchester United's controversial win against Aston Villa.

From BBC • May 26, 2025

On most nights, I wake up in a pool of cold sweat.

From Slate • Oct. 25, 2022

"Even when I realise I am not in Kuta traffic, I can shake in fear, break out in a cold sweat and feel really scared."

From Reuters • Oct. 11, 2022

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 • May 21, 2022

The thought raised a cold sweat on her skin, for if they were real, then all the consequences in those tales must be real, too.

From "Ash" by Malinda Lo

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.