1 B2 informal
To lose weight or excess fluid by exercising hard enough to produce heavy sweating.
"He was trying to sweat off a few pounds before the weigh-in."
separable
sweat off
B2 informal separable transitive
To lose weight, fluid, or something undesirable by sweating through physical exercise or heat.
In plain English
To lose water or weight by sweating a lot.
What does "sweat off" mean?
2 meanings, ordered from most common to least. Color-coded by CEFR level.
2 B2 idiomatic informal
To eliminate stress, a hangover, or a similar condition through intensive physical activity and perspiration.
"She went for a long run to sweat off the stress of the week."
separable
Literal vs figurative
Words literally mean
To cause something to come off by sweating — the sweat carries the unwanted thing away.
Actually means
To lose water or weight by sweating a lot.
Usage tip
Most commonly used in the context of losing water weight through intense exercise or a sauna. Also used figuratively for working off stress or negative feelings through physical activity. Note: doctors warn that 'sweating off' weight is temporary water loss.
Words that pair with "sweat off"
Natural word combinations native speakers use most often.
pounds weight calories stress hangover kilos
How to conjugate "sweat off"
The five tense forms you'll use most often.
Base
sweat off
I/you/we/they
3rd person
sweats off
he/she/it
Past simple
sweated off
yesterday
Past participle
sweated off
have + pp
-ing form
sweating off
continuous
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