lift a finger
idiom
: to make an effort to do something
—usually used in negative statements
I have so many chores to do, and my sister won't lift a finger to help me.
He never lifted a finger to try to improve his failing grades.
Examples of lift a finger in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
None of the other five people around her so much as lift a finger — even after the assailant was no longer an imminent threat.
—
Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Shure’s popper stopper and digital denoiser work their magic in cleaning up your signal without requiring you to lift a finger.
—Phil Nickinson, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2025
This system works with Alexa and Google assistant for quick temperature adjustments that won’t require you to lift a finger.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 9 July 2025
The Bourbon Butlers offer our guests a turnkey way to engage with all Bardstown has to offer, without having to lift a finger.
—Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lift a finger
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Carlo Versano, MSNBC Newsweek, 10 Sep. 2025
Shure’s popper stopper and digital denoiser work their magic in cleaning up your signal without requiring you to lift a finger.
—Phil Nickinson, PC Magazine, 11 Aug. 2025
This system works with Alexa and Google assistant for quick temperature adjustments that won’t require you to lift a finger.
—Yelena Moroz Alpert, Architectural Digest, 9 July 2025
The Bourbon Butlers offer our guests a turnkey way to engage with all Bardstown has to offer, without having to lift a finger.
—Jillian Dara, Forbes.com, 24 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for lift a finger
Cite this Entry
“Lift a finger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lift%20a%20finger. Accessed 4 Nov. 2025.
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