How to Use elbow grease in a Sentence

elbow grease

noun
  • It's going to take some elbow grease to get this counter clean.
  • Don’t be shy to add a little elbow grease.
    — Asia London Palomba, The Spruce, 27 Feb. 2026
  • Save the elbow grease and use a dryer sheet on the stubborn food residue instead.
    — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 30 Oct. 2025
  • Save the elbow grease and use a dryer sheet on the stubborn food residue instead.
    — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 19 Apr. 2026
  • Save the elbow grease and use a dryer sheet on the stubborn food residue instead.
    — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 29 Jan. 2026
  • Save the elbow grease and use a dryer sheet on the stubborn food residue instead.
    — Meghan Overdeep, Southern Living, 30 Jan. 2026
  • The main idea is to clean well without scrubbing too hard or using too much elbow grease.
    — Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
  • But the plumbing problem isn't just a question of a plunger and some elbow grease.
    — Steve Walsh, NPR, 4 June 2026
  • Forget pluck, elbow grease and a little old-fashioned hard work.
    — The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 4 May 2026
  • Prepare to apply some elbow grease for the best results.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 14 Jan. 2026
  • Thankfully, this handy tool provides a boost of elbow grease.
    — Izzy Baskette, PEOPLE, 5 Apr. 2026
  • Sometimes, good old-fashioned elbow grease can work even better.
    — Amelia Lucas, CNBC, 31 Jan. 2026
  • If a little elbow grease is all that is required, a task will be accomplished.
    — Rachel Elspeth Gross, Forbes.com, 15 May 2026
  • You should be left with a noticeably brighter bowl with minimal elbow grease.
    — Jamie Cuccinelli, Martha Stewart, 25 Jan. 2026
  • The formula will work overnight—and sans elbow grease—to keep your shower cleaner.
    — Rae Ford, Martha Stewart, 10 May 2026
  • Otherwise, save your energy—and the elbow grease—for when the leaves start to fall again.
    — Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 21 Feb. 2026
  • This version is a dump-and-go slow cooker recipe that will packs the same creamy and buttery taste, just with less elbow grease.
    — Jenna Sims, Southern Living, 25 Dec. 2025
  • 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
  • Spare yourself some elbow grease and invest in this rechargeable set for all your bottle cleaning needs.
    — Pamela Brill, Parents, 7 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
  • Save yourself time and elbow grease by opting for slate, wood, or vinyl flooring that is water-resistant and easy to wipe off.
    — Claire Hoppe Norgaard, Better Homes & Gardens, 6 June 2026
  • Time to get out the scrubber and put some serious elbow grease into scraping off every bit of carbon.
    — Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 26 Nov. 2025
  • Some offer ergonomic designs, but all just need your elbow grease to operate.
    — Luke Miller, Better Homes & Gardens, 28 Sep. 2025
  • Those stubborn stains can be removed with a little elbow grease and a damp Magic Eraser.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 1 June 2026
  • This chore requires lots of scrubbing and elbow grease, and taking proper precautions to ensure your safety is key.
    — Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott, Southern Living, 30 Aug. 2025
  • Naturally robust, dividing daylilies takes a bit of elbow grease.
    — Rita Pelczar, Better Homes & Gardens, 5 Sep. 2025
  • These tasks take only a few minutes each when done weekly, but skipping them for a month or two is when buildup becomes the kind of problem that requires real elbow grease.
    — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 30 Apr. 2026
  • The steepest discount on our list belongs to this robot vacuum and mop that’s great checking chores off of a to-do list without using a ton of elbow grease.
    — Clara McMahon, PEOPLE, 27 Nov. 2025
  • While spring cleaning and deep cleaning are rites of passage in Southern homes, keeping things tidy in between requires a little elbow grease.
    — Melissa Locker, Southern Living, 6 Jan. 2026
  • For those seeking more elbow grease, one side of the pad is embossed in order to provide mild physical exfoliation.
    — Deanna Pai, Vogue, 14 Oct. 2025

Some of these examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'elbow grease.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

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