1 B2 idiomatic informal
To endure an anxious or stressful situation by waiting through the uncertainty with patience and discomfort.
"We just have to sweat it out until the exam results are posted."
inseparable
sweat it out
B2 informal inseparable transitive
To endure a difficult, uncomfortable, or anxious situation by waiting or working through it with effort.
In plain English
To stay with something hard or scary and wait until it is over, even when it feels very uncomfortable.
What does "sweat it out" mean?
3 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B1 informal
To exercise intensely or go through a physical ordeal (such as a fever or a tough workout) until it is finished.
"She decided to sweat it out at the gym rather than sit at home worrying."
inseparable
3 B2 informal
To eliminate something from the body (like a cold or toxins) through sweating.
"He wrapped himself in blankets and tried to sweat it out overnight."
inseparable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To work so hard or be so hot that you sweat, pushing something out through perspiration.
Actually means
To stay with something hard or scary and wait until it is over, even when it feels very uncomfortable.
Usage tip
The phrase has two common uses: physical (working through something by sweating, e.g., an illness or exercise session) and figurative (enduring a tense situation). Both are common in informal speech.
Words that pair with "sweat it out"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
illness fever results deadline anxiety workout
How to conjugate "sweat it out"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
sweat it out
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sweats it out
he/she/it
Past simple
sweated it out
yesterday
Past participle
sweated it out
have + pp
-ing form
sweating it out
continuous
Hear "sweat it out" in the wild
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