sweatbox

In real, traceable use. Part of the curated seed collection; community review is coming.

Sense 1

Meaning · English

A jail cell.

Register: slang

Where it’s used: Used American English
Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Sense 2

Meaning · English

A compartment in a police van to hold a prisoner being transported.

Register: slang

Sources & notes

Adapted from English Wiktionary (CC BY-SA 4.0, retrieved 2026-07-30 via kaikki.org).

Common questions

What does “sweatbox” mean?

A jail cell.

Is “sweatbox” formal or informal?

sweatbox is generally slang.