In gaming, a sweat is a player who tries extremely hard. They use the most effective strategies, optimize every movement, and treat even casual matches like ranked competition. The term is usually slightly critical. It implies the person is trying harder than the situation requires.

Sweats often appear in lobbies where most players are relaxing. Their intensity stands out. They might hot-drop into high-traffic areas, track every sound, and refuse to play for fun. The opposite is the more casual player who experiments with unusual loadouts or simply enjoys the map.

The word can also describe the state of trying too hard. Someone might say they are sweating a match when the pressure rises and they start playing with extra focus. In that sense it is closer to being locked in. The negative version is reserved for players whose effort feels out of place.

Outside games the term occasionally appears when someone is overexerting themselves socially or professionally, but the gaming usage remains the primary one.