How to pronounce sweat
Say it like SWET. Sweat is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress.
Click the play button next to American or British to hear how to pronounce sweat. Choose Slow to hear each sound clearly.
- SWET
- Main stress
- Lighter stress
- Unstressed
Sweat pronunciation, sound by sound
Read the parts left to right, then blend them together without pausing.
- SWETSay this part loudest and longest. The vowel is the "e" in bed.
American vs British pronunciation of sweat
American and British speakers say sweat in essentially the same way: /swɛt/ in the US and /swɛt/ in the UK.
British respelling: SWET.
What does sweat mean?
- salty fluid secreted by sweat glands“sweat poured off his brow”
- agitation resulting from active worry“don't get in a stew”“he's in a sweat about exams”
- condensation of moisture on a cold surface“the cold glasses were streaked with sweat”
- excrete perspiration through the pores in the skin“Exercise makes one sweat”
Where does sweat come from?
From Middle English swete, swet, swate, swote, from Old English swāt, from Proto-Germanic *swait-, *swaitą, from Proto-Indo-European *swoyd- (“to sweat”), o-grade of *sweyd- (“to sweat”).
Similar and opposite words
Similar meaning
Words that rhyme with sweat
Practicing rhymes is a quick way to lock in the vowel sound of sweat.
Questions about saying sweat
How do you pronounce sweat?
Say SWET. The American pronunciation is /swɛt/. In British English it is /swɛt/. Press play above to hear it at normal speed or slowly.
How many syllables are in sweat?
Sweat is a single syllable, so the whole word carries the stress. Broken into parts: SWET.
Do Americans and Brits say sweat the same way?
Almost exactly. The American form is /swɛt/ and the British form is /swɛt/, so you can use either pronunciation with any listener.