lift a finger

idiom

: to make an effort to do something

—usually used in negative statements

I have so many chores to do, and my sister won't lift a finger to help me.

He never lifted a finger to try to improve his failing grades.

Examples of lift a finger in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

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.

House hunters looking to gift themselves the gift of not having to lift a finger before moving in are going to love this property that lives very much like a single-family. —

Miriam Schwartz, Boston Herald, 21 Dec. 2024 But Rick Scott didn’t lift a finger to fight for it. —

Anthony Man, Sun Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2024 Genius! Find it on Amazon Motorized TV Stand Don’t lift a finger, and have the vertical lift mechanism controlled by a remote do it for you. —

Margaret Drake, Rolling Stone, 22 Sep. 2024 There were several people who did not lift a finger and blew off their work shifts, forcing other campers to step up and keep things running. —

Morena Duwe, Los Angeles Times, 9 Sep. 2024 See all Example Sentences for lift a finger

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“Lift a finger.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/lift%20a%20finger. Accessed 18 Jan. 2025.

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