Synonyms of elbow grease

elbow grease

noun

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

• effort
• work
• pains
• expenditure
• sweat
• trouble
• energy
• labor
• exertion
• while
• power
• toil
• try
• drudgery
• strain
• muscle
• attempt
• might
• dint
• essay
• pass
• endeavor
• trial
• force
• go
• travail
• grind
• stab
• slog
• shot
• whack
• puissance
• fling

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• facility
• ease
• smoothness
• fluency
• inertia
• inaction
• inactivity
• laziness
• idleness
• dormancy
• indolence
• adroitness
• quiescence
• languor

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of elbow grease

In This Article Our Top Picks Reviews The Bottom Line Our Testing Process More To Consider Tips for Choosing Questions and Answers Why Trust Southern Living Cleaning tile floors using a bucket, mop, and elbow grease may be character-building, but the results often leave much to be desired. —Maria Conti, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2025

Animal lovers, don’t miss your chance to stay at this heritage breed farm–no labor and elbow grease required. —Rachel Fletcher, Architectural Digest, 23 Jan. 2025

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