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
This is not virtual, so prepare to put in some elbow grease.
—
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2025
Pump or manual sprayers require the most elbow grease but are also the cheapest.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
Thankfully, there are dedicated mold cleaners that get the job done without all the elbow grease on your part.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025
For spring cleaning gadgets, try this Roomba robot vacuum to make messes disappear without any elbow grease, as well as the Swiffer PowerMop to make floors really sparkle.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 28 Apr. 2025
Pump or manual sprayers require the most elbow grease but are also the cheapest.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2025
Thankfully, there are dedicated mold cleaners that get the job done without all the elbow grease on your part.
—Bestreviews, Mercury News, 1 Apr. 2025
For spring cleaning gadgets, try this Roomba robot vacuum to make messes disappear without any elbow grease, as well as the Swiffer PowerMop to make floors really sparkle.
—Clara McMahon, People.com, 18 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elbow grease
Noun
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Botswana is also investing in mitigation efforts by phasing out hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and promoting various energy efficiency measures.—
Kyle Roderick,
Forbes.com,
28 June 2025
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Separate efforts by the United Nations to distribute limited food have been plagued by armed gangs looting trucks and by crowds of desperate people offloading supplies from convoys.—
Wafaa Shurafa,
Chicago Tribune,
28 June 2025
Noun
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As described in a press release, the currently untitled work is set to give readers an unfiltered look into the Dipset co-founder’s rise from the streets of Harlem to the top of the rap game, and his evolution into a respected media personality, fashion figure, and businessman.—
DeMicia Inman,
VIBE.com,
25 June 2025
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Small-scale research provides a sense of how larger-scale processes work, which are much more difficult to measure.—
Sarah Boon
June 25,
Literary Hub,
25 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Elbow grease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elbow%20grease. Accessed 7 Jul. 2025.
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