elbow grease

noun

: hard work

There is just no substitution for the elbow grease involved in promotion. You just have to get out there and work hard to get the word to the stores that the book is available.

—Andy Shafran

especially : vigorously applied physical labor or effort

Best of all, the metal handle is bendable, making it easy to defat liquids of varying depths. Kudos to a kitchen tool that spares elbow grease.

—Grace Young

Synonyms of elbow grease

• effort
• work
• pains

Examples of elbow grease in a Sentence

It's going to take some elbow grease to get this counter clean.

with a little polish and a lot of elbow grease, I was able to make the old silver teapot shine again

Recent Examples on the Web

Simply let the meat brown first and start to break it up with a wooden or silicon spoon, then switch to the masher and put some elbow grease into it. — ABC News, 23 Sep. 2026

Those few seconds of soak time make all the difference, allowing the cleanser to lift residue instead of relying on elbow grease. — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 16 Sep. 2026

Project organizers provide all the tools and supplies, and volunteers provide the elbow grease. — Libby Smith, CBS News, 17 Aug. 2026

Many workers are on the hunt for a silver bullet for career success—but leaders like Griggs agree that old-fashioned elbow grease is the most effective way to get ahead. — Emma Burleigh, Fortune, 3 Aug. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for elbow grease

• altarpiece
• centerpiece
• frontispiece
• mantelpiece
• masterpiece
• pilates
• specialise
• stabilise
• syntheses
• apiece
• aris
• assise

Kids Definition

elbow grease

noun

: forceful effort in doing physical labor