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
Providing a phone, a car, a place to do laundry, or a little bit of elbow grease can fill a gap and let firefighters and other formal responders focus on critical operations.
—
James Kendra, The Conversation, 20 Jan. 2025
With some time, money, and elbow grease, a fixer-upper can be a pocket-friendly way to make your dream house yourself.
—Aksha Mittapalli, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2025
Some elbow grease and astute prudence can get things back in proper gear.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Gather your equipment Common household cleaners, like a bleach solution, and some elbow grease can absolutely help you for surface mold.
—Bridget Reed Morawski, Architectural Digest, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
James Kendra, The Conversation, 20 Jan. 2025
With some time, money, and elbow grease, a fixer-upper can be a pocket-friendly way to make your dream house yourself.
—Aksha Mittapalli, Better Homes & Gardens, 15 Jan. 2025
Some elbow grease and astute prudence can get things back in proper gear.
—Lance Eliot, Forbes, 17 Jan. 2025
Gather your equipment Common household cleaners, like a bleach solution, and some elbow grease can absolutely help you for surface mold.
—Bridget Reed Morawski, Architectural Digest, 14 Jan. 2025
See All Example Sentences for elbow grease
Cite this Entry
“Elbow grease.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/elbow%20grease. Accessed 10 Mar. 2025.
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