a/the squeaky wheel gets the grease/oil
idiom
—used to say that someone who complains or causes problems is more likely to receive attention or help than someone who stays quiet and does not cause problems
Examples of a/the squeaky wheel gets the grease/oil in a Sentence
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Silence is golden, talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words; but the squeaky wheel gets the grease and a word to the wise is sufficient.
—
Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2021
But the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the activist class is the one making noise.
—Eddie Scarry, Washington Examiner, 29 Apr. 2021
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Richard Lederer, San Diego Union-Tribune, 18 Sep. 2021
But the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and the activist class is the one making noise.
—Eddie Scarry, Washington Examiner, 29 Apr. 2021
Cite this Entry
“A/the squeaky wheel gets the grease/oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/a%2Fthe%20squeaky%20wheel%20gets%20the%20grease%2Foil. Accessed 14 Jul. 2025.
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