Sweaty describes someone or something that's covered in sweat or producing sweat. When you run around at recess on a hot day or play an intense game of basketball, you get sweaty: your skin feels damp, your shirt might stick to your back, and you can feel moisture on your forehead.

Sweat is your body's cooling system. When you exercise hard or when it's hot outside, tiny glands in your skin release water that evaporates and helps lower your body temperature. Athletes often finish games looking thoroughly sweaty, with soaked jerseys and dripping faces.

The word can describe things too. A sweaty gym feels humid and warm from all the people exercising inside. Sweaty hands might make it harder to grip a baseball bat or hold a pencil comfortably during a tense test.

People sometimes use “sweaty” informally to describe situations that make you nervous enough to sweat, like a sweaty moment when you're about to give a presentation. In video games, players might call someone “sweaty” if they're playing with maximum effort and intensity, taking the game extremely seriously or competitively.