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
Spare yourself some elbow grease and invest in this rechargeable set for all your bottle cleaning needs.
—
Pamela Brill, Parents, 7 Apr. 2026
Thankfully, this handy tool provides a boost of elbow grease.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Just a small amount of elbow grease lifts dandelions, thistles, and other kinds of pesky taproot weeds in seconds.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2026
Other things to know before cleaning grout Cleaning tile grout is a laborious process that involves elbow grease, squatting and reaching.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Pamela Brill, Parents, 7 Apr. 2026
Thankfully, this handy tool provides a boost of elbow grease.
—Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
Just a small amount of elbow grease lifts dandelions, thistles, and other kinds of pesky taproot weeds in seconds.
—Stephanie Osmanski, Better Homes & Gardens, 31 Mar. 2026
Other things to know before cleaning grout Cleaning tile grout is a laborious process that involves elbow grease, squatting and reaching.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elbow grease
Noun
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Jessica Chmielewski, Colleen Gartlan and Ella Riordan led a strong defensive effort in front of Noone.—
Steve Millar,
Chicago Tribune,
29 Apr. 2026
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The effort will focus on solutions that can be adapted elsewhere in the world, such as sustainable finance, digital innovation and workforce development.—
Jennifer Bringle,
Footwear News,
28 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Another issue, Nikpay said, is that some pharmacies and pharmacy benefit managers charge healthcare providers large fees for this 340B work, which can reduce the provider’s savings on those drug prices.—
Dené K. Dryden,
Twin Cities,
8 May 2026
-
In the video, published in 2024 and noted in the lawsuit, James references the original sketch work for Neytiri.—
Alexandra Del Rosario,
Los Angeles Times,
8 May 2026
Noun
-
Feerick took pains to explain that Section 4 is not designed to be a tool used by an opposition party to remove a President.—
Diego Lasarte,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
-
The results came so fast that the normal MLS growing pains — the ugly nights, the roster strain, the tactical doubt, the emotional drag of losing — seemed to skip San Diego entirely.—
Eddie Brown,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
1 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elbow grease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elbow%20grease. Accessed 8 May. 2026.
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