as in effort
the active use of energy in producing a result
with a little polish and a lot of elbow grease, I was able to make the old silver teapot shine again
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Recent Examples of elbow grease
Prepare to apply some elbow grease for the best results.
—
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
There’s also an impressive discount on the top-selling Fullstar vegetable chopper that can dice produce any which way without any elbow grease on your end, as well as this six-piece champagne flute set that’s primed for New Year’s Eve festivities.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
For those seeking more elbow grease, one side of the pad is embossed in order to provide mild physical exfoliation.
—Deanna Pai, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
To experience the preserve’s tranquility, visitors have to put in a little elbow grease.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
There’s also an impressive discount on the top-selling Fullstar vegetable chopper that can dice produce any which way without any elbow grease on your end, as well as this six-piece champagne flute set that’s primed for New Year’s Eve festivities.
—Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 20 Dec. 2025
For those seeking more elbow grease, one side of the pad is embossed in order to provide mild physical exfoliation.
—Deanna Pai, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025
To experience the preserve’s tranquility, visitors have to put in a little elbow grease.
—Marissa Meador, IndyStar, 23 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elbow grease
Noun
-
Search and rescue mission coordinators, on-scene commanders and the Coast Guard determined on Saturday all reasonable search efforts for the missing crew members had been exhausted.—
Alexandra Koch,
FOXNews.com,
4 Feb. 2026
-
That narrative continued Tuesday despite Sarandos’s best efforts to describe the reality of Netflix’s content slate.—
Liam Reilly,
CNN Money,
4 Feb. 2026
Noun
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This work offers a new platform for designing efficient photo-electrocatalysts and advancing next-generation solar–electrochemical energy conversion systems.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
6 Feb. 2026
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The opening night celebration in September features violinist Joshua Bell, after which Shelley will guide the season through a series of classic works, beginning with Mahler’s Second Symphony.—
Jessica Gelt,
Los Angeles Times,
6 Feb. 2026
Noun
-
White southerners took great pains to keep track of men and women like Henry Fordham.—
Eugene Robinson,
The Atlantic,
3 Feb. 2026
-
My adolescence was an ordinary one, its joys and pains small.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
2 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elbow grease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elbow%20grease. Accessed 9 Feb. 2026.
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