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
There’s even a rare discount on this Roomba robot vacuum and mop, which is the ideal gadget for anyone looking to thoroughly clean their floors without elbow grease.
—
Clara McMahon, People.com, 2 July 2025
While vacuum cleaners and spin mops work wonders on floors, tackling the hidden nooks and crannies behind the faucet, in the shower, and around floor tiles usually requires a bit more elbow grease.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Sometimes, this can involve a minor touch-up, such as adding a bit of fresh soil, but at other times, these maintenance tasks require more elbow grease and finesse.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2025
How To Clean The Inside Of A Glass Oven Door
Cleaning the inside of your oven door is easy but may require some elbow grease.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Clara McMahon, People.com, 2 July 2025
While vacuum cleaners and spin mops work wonders on floors, tackling the hidden nooks and crannies behind the faucet, in the shower, and around floor tiles usually requires a bit more elbow grease.
—Alicia Geigel, Southern Living, 27 June 2025
Sometimes, this can involve a minor touch-up, such as adding a bit of fresh soil, but at other times, these maintenance tasks require more elbow grease and finesse.
—Lauren Landers, Better Homes & Gardens, 22 June 2025
How To Clean The Inside Of A Glass Oven Door
Cleaning the inside of your oven door is easy but may require some elbow grease.
—Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 19 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elbow grease
Noun
-
The fire suppression efforts involve 48 engines, three water tenders, one helicopter and five hand crews.—
CA WILDFIRE BOT,
Sacbee.com,
3 Aug. 2025
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The second effort occurred following the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, with some Republicans in the House - most notably Liz Cheney - breaking from the party and supporting the effort to impeach.—
Peter Aitken,
MSNBC Newsweek,
3 Aug. 2025
Noun
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Perhaps most importantly, RPA frees human staff for more valuable, meaningful work.—
Kali Durgampudi,
Forbes.com,
31 July 2025
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Especially given the ease of remote work these days, such moves wouldn’t be difficult.—
The Editorial Board,
Chicago Tribune,
31 July 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elbow grease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elbow%20grease. Accessed 9 Aug. 2025.
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