Sometimes, we feel hot, tired, or nervous, and our body starts to sweat. Sweating happens when we run, play sports, or even when we feel worried. People often use special phrases called idioms to talk about these moments. These idioms don’t mean exactly what the words say, but they help us share our feelings in fun ways.
In this article, you will learn some common idioms that people use when they talk about sweating. These phrases can describe hard work, stress, or being very nervous. You’ll also see how each one works in real-life sentences. Understanding these idioms will help you sound more natural when you speak or write. Let’s take a closer look at these expressions and see how they add color to everyday conversations.
Idioms for Sweating
1. Break a sweat
Meaning: Start to sweat from working hard
Example: I didn’t even break a sweat during P.E. today. / He cleaned the whole garage without breaking a sweat.
Put Differently: I didn’t get tired. / It was easy for him.
2. Work up a sweat
Meaning: Sweat from doing physical activity
Example: We worked up a sweat playing soccer. / She worked up a sweat helping Dad mow the lawn.
Put Differently: We got hot from moving a lot. / She was sweaty from the job.
3. No sweat
Meaning: It’s not a problem or it’s easy
Example: Can you help me carry this? No sweat! / Finishing the worksheet was no sweat.
Put Differently: It’s easy. / I can do it with no problem.
4. Sweat bullets
Meaning: Be very nervous or scared
Example: I was sweating bullets before my class speech. / He sweat bullets waiting for his test results.
Put Differently: I was super nervous. / He was really worried.
5. Cold sweat
Meaning: Sweat from fear or sickness
Example: I woke up in a cold sweat after the nightmare. / He had a cold sweat before his doctor’s visit.
Put Differently: I was scared or felt sick. / He was really nervous.
6. Break out in a sweat
Meaning: Start sweating suddenly
Example: She broke out in a sweat before going on stage. / I broke out in a sweat before my dentist appointment.
Put Differently: I suddenly felt very hot and nervous. / She started sweating from fear.
7. Don’t sweat it
Meaning: Don’t worry
Example: Forgot your pencil? Don’t sweat it, I have one. / Don’t sweat it—you’ll do fine in the game.
Put Differently: It’s not a big deal. / Don’t be scared.
8. Sweat it out
Meaning: Wait nervously
Example: I had to sweat it out while waiting for my grades. / She’s sweating it out until tryout results come.
Put Differently: I’m waiting and feeling nervous. / She’s worried while waiting.
9. In a sweat
Meaning: Feeling nervous
Example: I was in a sweat before the spelling bee. / He sat in a sweat during the interview.
Put Differently: I felt scared. / He was very anxious.
10. Make someone sweat
Meaning: Make someone nervous
Example: The teacher made me sweat with her hard questions. / That scary movie made us sweat.
Put Differently: It made me nervous. / We got scared.
11. Work your fingers to the bone
Meaning: Work very hard
Example: She worked her fingers to the bone on the school project. / He worked his fingers to the bone cleaning the house.
Put Differently: She worked super hard. / He didn’t stop working.
12. Dripping with sweat
Meaning: Covered in sweat
Example: After recess, I was dripping with sweat. / He came inside dripping with sweat from basketball.
Put Differently: I was really sweaty. / He was very hot from playing.
13. Sweat the small stuff
Meaning: Worry about little things
Example: Don’t sweat the small stuff—it’s just a pencil. / He always sweats the small stuff at school.
Put Differently: Don’t worry about tiny problems. / He gets stressed over little things.
14. Soaked in sweat
Meaning: Very sweaty
Example: I was soaked in sweat after running. / She was soaked in sweat from dancing.
Put Differently: I was very hot. / She had sweat all over.
15. Work like a dog
Meaning: Work really hard
Example: We worked like dogs cleaning the park. / She worked like a dog on her science project.
Put Differently: We worked super hard. / She didn’t stop working.
16. Sweat equity
Meaning: Hard work you put in instead of money
Example: We built the clubhouse with sweat equity. / The team used sweat equity to finish the garden.
Put Differently: We used our effort to build it. / We worked hard instead of paying money.
17. Sweat your guts out
Meaning: Work very hard
Example: He sweated his guts out mowing the lawn. / I sweat my guts out at basketball practice.
Put Differently: I worked very hard. / He tried his best.
18. Raise a sweat
Meaning: Start sweating from work
Example: That game really raised a sweat. / She raised a sweat climbing the hill.
Put Differently: She got hot from moving. / I sweated a lot.
19. Pour sweat
Meaning: Sweat a lot
Example: He was pouring sweat after running. / I was pouring sweat during gym class.
Put Differently: I was very hot. / He had lots of sweat.
20. Sweat like a pig
Meaning: Sweat a lot
Example: I was sweating like a pig in the summer sun. / She sweated like a pig at practice.
Put Differently: I was super sweaty. / She had sweat everywhere.
21. Burn up
Meaning: Feel really hot
Example: I’m burning up after running. / He felt like he was burning up with that heavy coat.
Put Differently: I feel very hot. / He was too warm.
22. Wipe the sweat off
Meaning: Be glad a hard or scary thing is over
Example: I wiped the sweat off after my speech. / We wiped the sweat off after the test.
Put Differently: I felt better when it ended. / I was relieved.
23. Sweat buckets
Meaning: Sweat a lot
Example: I was sweating buckets at the game. / She sweated buckets while dancing.
Put Differently: I had a lot of sweat. / She was soaked.
24. Break into a sweat
Meaning: Start sweating
Example: He broke into a sweat before his turn. / I broke into a sweat when I saw the spider.
Put Differently: I started sweating fast. / He felt nervous or scared.
25. Sweat profusely
Meaning: Sweat heavily
Example: She was sweating profusely after the mile run. / He sweated profusely doing chores.
Put Differently: He had lots of sweat. / She was dripping.
26. All hot and bothered
Meaning: Feeling upset and warm
Example: I got all hot and bothered during the argument. / She was hot and bothered after gym.
Put Differently: She felt upset and hot. / I got too warm and worried.
27. Heated up
Meaning: Getting hot or intense
Example: The soccer game really heated up. / Things heated up when we raced.
Put Differently: The action got serious. / It got intense.
28. Fire up
Meaning: Get excited or active
Example: We fired up the crowd with our cheer. / The music fired me up to dance.
Put Differently: I got excited. / We got full of energy.
29. Run hot
Meaning: Get hot quickly
Example: I run hot, even in winter. / He runs hot when he’s nervous.
Put Differently: I get warm fast. / He sweats easily.
30. A hot mess
Meaning: Someone in a sweaty, confused state
Example: I was a hot mess after gym. / She looked like a hot mess after the hike.
Put Differently: I was very sweaty and tired. / She was a mess from the heat.
31. Feel the heat
Meaning: Feel pressure or stress
Example: I felt the heat during the spelling test. / She felt the heat before her speech.
Put Differently: I felt nervous. / She was under pressure.
32. Burn with worry
Meaning: Feel nervous or upset
Example: He burned with worry before the exam. / I burned with worry over the lost homework.
Put Differently: I was scared. / He felt nervous.
33. Heat of the moment
Meaning: At a stressful or fast time
Example: I said that in the heat of the moment. / Things got wild in the heat of the moment.
Put Differently: I didn’t think clearly. / It happened during a busy time.
34. Hot under the collar
Meaning: Get upset
Example: He got hot under the collar when she yelled. / I was hot under the collar after the game.
Put Differently: I got angry. / He was upset.
35. Boiling over
Meaning: Get too upset or worked up
Example: He was boiling over during the game. / I was boiling over from the stress.
Put Differently: I couldn’t calm down. / He was very angry.
36. Like a furnace
Meaning: Extremely hot
Example: It felt like a furnace inside the gym. / Her room was like a furnace after school.
Put Differently: It was really hot. / The room felt like fire.
37. Blazing hot
Meaning: Very hot
Example: The sun was blazing hot today. / It got blazing hot during recess.
Put Differently: The heat was strong. / It felt like summer.
38. Roast
Meaning: Get really hot
Example: We roasted at the picnic. / I roasted in my jacket.
Put Differently: I felt super warm. / We were too hot.
39. Heat up
Meaning: Get warmer
Example: The room heated up fast. / We heated up during the game.
Put Differently: It got hot. / We got sweaty.
40. Sweat streaming down
Meaning: Sweat flowing down
Example: I had sweat streaming down my face. / She had sweat streaming down her arms.
Put Differently: I was very sweaty. / She was dripping.
“Rewrite the Sentence” Activity: Idioms for Sweating
Read each sentence. Rewrite it using one of the idioms from the list.
Sentences to Rewrite
- I felt very nervous before my class presentation.
- She got really hot during P.E. class.
- I was so scared waiting for my turn.
- He worked really hard on his homework.
- We all got sweaty during the dance.
- I was really upset after the argument.
- My hands got sweaty when the teacher called my name.
- He was full of energy after the game.
- The sun made us very hot at recess.
- She looked tired and sweaty after the hike.
Answer Key
- I was sweating bullets before my class presentation.
- She worked up a sweat during P.E. class.
- I had to sweat it out waiting for my turn.
- He worked his fingers to the bone on his homework.
- We were sweating buckets during the dance.
- I got all hot and bothered after the argument.
- I broke into a sweat when the teacher called my name.
- He fired up after the game.
- The sun was blazing hot at recess.
- She was a hot mess after the hike.
Conclusion
Idioms about sweating help us talk about feeling hot, nervous, or tired in fun ways. These phrases make speaking more interesting and real. Whether you’re working hard or feeling scared, these idioms show your feelings clearly. Try using them when you talk or write. It will help your English sound more natural and fun.
