sweat equity

noun

1. unreimbursed labor that results in the increased value of property or that is invested to establish or expand an enterprise.

Word History and Origins

Origin of sweat equity¹

First recorded in 1965–70

Example Sentences

He traveled widely to mediate conflicts and monitor elections around the world, joined Habitat for Humanity to promote “sweat equity” for low-income homeownership, and became a blunt critic of human rights abuses.

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“The landowners that we work with have what I call sweat equity in those projects — they have an investment,” said Steve Harris, a regulation and resilience assistant manager for DNR’s northeast region.

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Working with civil rights activist Bob Woodson, the two developed a program to allow people in public housing to put in sweat equity and eventually gain ownership of their units.

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Viewers may notice how much this sounds like Steve's observations about home repair and sweat equity in the previous episode.

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That investment, combined with access to the U.S. market and the global trade system and lubricated by the sweat equity of a highly educated populace, enabled Seoul to forge an “economic miracle.”

Read more on Washington Times