elbow grease

noun

: hard work

There is just no substitution for the elbow grease involved in promotion. You just have to get out there and work hard to get the word to the stores that the book is available.

—Andy Shafran

especially : vigorously applied physical labor or effort

Best of all, the metal handle is bendable, making it easy to defat liquids of varying depths. Kudos to a kitchen tool that spares elbow grease.

—Grace Young

Synonyms

• effort
• exertion
• expenditure
• labor
• pains
• sweat
• trouble
• while
• work

Examples of elbow grease in a Sentence

It's going to take some elbow grease to get this counter clean.

with a little polish and a lot of elbow grease, I was able to make the old silver teapot shine again

Recent Examples on the Web

Best Cleaning Paste: Scrub Daddy Tangerine Clean Day-old ketchup, wine, and peanut butter came off hard surfaces with this cleaning paste and just a little elbow grease. —Ella Field, Better Homes & Gardens, 13 Mar. 2024

But if the discoloration bothers you, a little elbow grease and some Bon Ami or Bar Keepers Friend will help restore your sheet pans to their patina-free glory. —Olga Massov, Washington Post, 4 Mar. 2024

That means that, at least for now, effective measurement will take a bit of elbow grease. —Lora Kratchounova, Forbes, 26 Feb. 2024

And definitely don’t miss the 50 percent discount on the iRobot Roomba J7, which can whip your floors into shape without any elbow grease. —Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 16 Feb. 2024

Weiman Granite and Stone Daily Clean and Shine with Disinfectant Buy on Amazon Buy on Walmart Buy on Lowe's Another win for Weiman — the brand’s Granite and Stone Daily Clean and Shine solution shines up countertops without the need for a lot of elbow grease. —Cai Cramer, Peoplemag, 3 Feb. 2024

The wine and soda were erased with only a little elbow grease, but like most cleaners and machines on our list, the marinara and mustard were more challenging. —Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2024

While foundation makeup required a bit more elbow grease, the leather cleaner eventually erased it, leaving the area completely clean. —Sharon Brandwein, Southern Living, 17 Jan. 2024

That’s why electric carpet cleaners are so handy — they’re equipped with the suction and scrubbing powers to make grime disappear, all without a ton of elbow grease. —Clara McMahon, Peoplemag, 17 Jan. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1672, in the meaning defined above

Kids Definition

elbow grease

noun

: forceful effort in doing physical labor