perspire
Americanverb (used without object)
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perspires,
present (3rd person singular)
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perspired,
past participle, past
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perspiring
present participle
verb (used with object)
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perspires,
present (3rd person singular)
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perspired,
past participle, past
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perspiring
present participle
verb
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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perspirabilitynoun
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perspirableadjective
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perspiryadjective
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unperspiredadjective
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unperspiringadjective
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perspiringlyadverb
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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perspiresimple
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perspiressimple
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have perspiredperfect
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has perspiredperfect
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am perspiringprogressive
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are perspiringprogressive
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is perspiringprogressive
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have been perspiringperfect progressive
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has been perspiringperfect progressive
Past
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perspiredsimple
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had perspiredperfect
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was perspiringprogressive
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were perspiringprogressive
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had been perspiringperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of perspire
1640–50; < Latin perspīrāre to blow constantly (said of the wind), breathe through; in New Latin: to sweat imperceptibly. See per-, inspire
Explanation
To perspire is to sweat: to excrete perspiration through the pores in your skin. Whenever little drops of moisture appear on your skin, you're perspiring or sweating. People sweat when they're nervous, when it's hot out, and when they're doing a lot of exercise. If you watch people playing a strenuous sport like basketball, they will be perspiring. Perspiring is one way your body cools itself off, so sweating is a good thing, even though it can make you feel gross. Some animals — like dogs — can't perspire, so it's harder for them to cool off.
Vocabulary lists containing perspire
"Marionettes, Inc." by Ray Bradbury
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Novel Study: Fahrenheit 451, Part II
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The Fighting Ground
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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:
When you perspire, the sweat on your skin can pull heat from your body as it evaporates.
From Seattle Times ● Aug. 21, 2023
A case could be made that the air around us on Sunday sought to clutch at us and suggest that we might wish to rest more and perspire less.
From Washington Post ● Sep. 4, 2022
And he said, ‘Coach, quarterbacks don’t sweat. Quarterbacks perspire.’
From Washington Times ● Aug. 24, 2022
But when it goes right, mistakes are forgiven; the diners perspire, devour, quaff and sing together, and then, only then, will business be done.
From New York Times ● Nov. 30, 2019
I was extremely tense and began to perspire.
From "Long Walk to Freedom" by Nelson Mandela
But nearly everything about Charlie — the sound of his breathing, the way he eats, moves and perspires — underlines his abjection, to an extent that starts to feel cruel and voyeuristic.
From New York Times ● Dec. 7, 2022
He walks five miles every day for exercise and perspires a great deal, but he doesn’t change his shirt.
From Washington Post ● Dec. 1, 2022
Runny Rampling shamelessly perspires like some sort of gruesome mutant.”
From The Guardian ● Feb. 8, 2016
Short and plump, Agarwal perspires in the late spring heat.
From Forbes ● Jul. 2, 2014
Once inside the train he perspires heavily and takes off his coat.
From "Jazz" by Toni Morrison
The beleaguered bride, in her dress, perspired through her makeup on a warm afternoon.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 9, 2025
He recalls that Cash, out of his element as an actor, perspired so much out of nervousness that Ron got soaking wet.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 12, 2021
As sweat beaded under masks and upper lips perspired in the beating sun, the cast and crew of “Pass Over” introduced themselves for the first time through handshakes and hugs, rather than a Zoom screen.
From New York Times ● Aug. 25, 2021
But I perspired on them so much that the metal inside was totally rusted and started to smell.
From The Verge ● Oct. 15, 2017
She never perspired, never scratched herself, and always kept her faint scent of lavender and lemon.
From "The House of the Spirits: A Novel" by Isabel Allende
Then, singer Adele announced on stage in Las Vegas in 2023 that she had contracted a fungal infection as a result of perspiring.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2025
Even with the increased numbers of travelers of late, going on vacation in autumn is like entering a hushed and luxurious train car after having been in a stuffed summer subway pressed against perspiring commuters.
From Slate ● Sep. 1, 2023
If you see your child has hot and dry skin, is breathing rapidly, has a rapid heart rate or is no perspiring — or barely perspiring — these could be a sign of heatstroke.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 26, 2023
In the interrogation room, he sat quietly and dabbed at his perspiring face with a tissue.
From New York Times ● Aug. 5, 2022
Milton grinned at her, perspiring in pinstripes, and once again the tragedy cuff link glinted in the sim.
From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides
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.
