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
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of elbow grease
With just a few supplies and some elbow grease, your ice maker will be back to producing fresh, clean ice in no time.
—
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
While not particularly new, self-cleaning ovens are a tech-y upgrade that, according to some, have a long way to go in terms of replacing good old elbow grease.
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026
Sometimes, good old-fashioned elbow grease can work even better.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 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
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Daley Quinn, Southern Living, 13 Feb. 2026
While not particularly new, self-cleaning ovens are a tech-y upgrade that, according to some, have a long way to go in terms of replacing good old elbow grease.
—Melissa Kravitz Hoeffner, Martha Stewart, 7 Feb. 2026
Sometimes, good old-fashioned elbow grease can work even better.
—Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 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
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Recent Examples of Synonyms for elbow grease
Noun
-
At a Tuesday afternoon news conference in Sacramento City Hall, the mother and daughter stood beside their attorney, immigration advocates and local lawmakers — many of whom were involved in a weeks-long effort to bring her home.—
Mathew Miranda
Updated March 31,
Sacbee.com,
1 Apr. 2026
-
Of course, the usual efforts around going plastic-free and energy-efficient are in place.—
Condé Nast,
Condé Nast Traveler,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While Protect Wyoming is necessarily focused within the state and on state politics, rather than federal candidates, its work stands to influence nonresidents who hunt, fish, and recreate in the state.—
Natalie Krebs,
Outdoor Life,
3 Apr. 2026
-
For commuters like Sirena Lopez, who drives two hours each way for work, the impact is immediate.—
Richard Ramos,
CBS News,
3 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Bondi's public embrace of the president, however, marked a sharp departure from her predecessors, who generally took pains to maintain an arm's-length distance from the White House to protect the impartiality of investigations and prosecutions.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
3 Apr. 2026
-
Whether biennials or museum shows, exhibitions are spaces for learning about images, the world, and the pains and delights of being alive.—
Raphael Fonseca,
Artforum,
2 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Elbow grease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elbow%20grease. Accessed 6 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
