Elbow
noun/verbBase elbow · Past elbowed · Past Participle elbowed · Present Participle elbowing · 3rd person elbows
Definition
1. (noun) The joint in the middle of your arm where it bends — the hard, bony part between your upper arm and forearm.
2. (verb) To push someone with your elbow to move them out of the way, or to force your way through a crowd using your elbows.
2. (verb) To push someone with your elbow to move them out of the way, or to force your way through a crowd using your elbows.
Context Alive
You're at a packed concert trying to get closer to the stage. People are standing shoulder to shoulder and nobody wants to move. The guy behind you keeps pushing forward, and suddenly you feel a sharp elbow in your ribs. You turn around and he doesn't even look at you — he just keeps elbowing his way through the crowd like nobody else matters. You grab your side and decide maybe the back of the venue isn't so bad after all.
Meanings
2 meanings 1 The Joint in Your Arm (Noun) Very Common ▼
This meaning is about the bony part in the middle of your arm where it bends. Imagine sitting at a small table in a café and you accidentally knock your coffee over because your elbow caught the edge of the cup. This is the body part you use every time you bend your arm — and the one you always seem to bang on things. You might say "I hit my elbow on the door" when you walk too close to a doorframe, or someone could say "keep your elbows off the table" as a classic dinner rule. Or picture someone leaning on a desk all day during a boring meeting, resting their chin on their hand — their elbows are doing all the work. The word refers to one of the most bumped, scraped, and complained-about body parts in daily life.
✏️ Hitting your elbow on something hard — especially that sensitive spot — is sometimes called hitting your "funny bone" in English. It's not actually a bone, it's a nerve, and there's nothing funny about it. The phrase is one of those things every English speaker knows.
2 To Push Through with Force (Verb) Common ▼
This meaning is about using physical force — specifically your elbows — to push past people or make space for yourself. Imagine you're on a crowded train and the doors are about to close. Someone behind you elbows past you to get on, pushing you sideways without saying sorry. This is describing aggressive, physical pushing to get where you want to be. You might say "she elbowed her way to the front" about someone who pushed through a crowd at a sale, or someone could say "he elbowed me in the ribs" to describe being pushed on purpose or by accident. Or think about kids in a school hallway between classes — everyone elbowing each other to get to their next room. The word suggests a selfish, pushy kind of movement where you don't care about the people around you.
✏️ Elbow as a verb is also used figuratively. In business, you might hear "she elbowed her way to the top" — meaning she pushed past competitors aggressively to succeed. It doesn't mean she physically pushed anyone, but it keeps that image of forcing your way through.
Common Patterns
Noun Patterns
hit/bang/bump + elbow (on something) → accidentally striking your elbow against a hard surface
I banged my elbow on the corner of the table and it hurt for ten minutes.
lean on + elbow(s) → resting your weight on your elbows
She was leaning on her elbows, staring out the window.
elbow + in the ribs/side → a push or nudge to someone's side — accidental or intentional
He gave me a quick elbow in the ribs to get my attention.
Verb Patterns
elbow + someone (out of the way) → to physically push a person aside using your elbow
He elbowed me out of the way to grab the last seat.
elbow + one's way + through/to/into → to push through a crowd or group by force
She elbowed her way through the crowd to reach the exit.
elbow + someone + in the ribs/side/face → to hit someone in a specific body part with your elbow
He accidentally elbowed me in the face while stretching.
Collocations
10 collocationselbow room
enough space to move freely — often used figuratively for freedom
elbow grease
hard physical effort — especially scrubbing, cleaning, or manual work
bang your elbow
to accidentally hit your elbow on something hard
lean on your elbows
to rest your upper body weight on your elbows
sharp elbow
an aggressive push, or a person who pushes others aside to get ahead
elbow in the ribs
a nudge or push to someone's side — playful or aggressive
elbow your way through
to force a path through a crowd using physical pushing
elbow to elbow
extremely close together, packed tightly — similar to shoulder to shoulder
tennis elbow
a common injury causing pain around the outside of the elbow joint
rub elbows with
to spend time or socialise with someone, often someone important
Example Sentences
10 examples
1
She rested her elbows on the table and buried her face in her hands after the long day.
She put her arms on the table and covered her face with her hands because she was exhausted.
2
He elbowed his way to the front of the queue and pretended he'd been there the whole time.
He pushed through the line aggressively and acted like he hadn't just cut in.
3
I keep banging my elbow on this stupid desk — it's too close to the wall.
I keep hitting my arm joint on this annoying desk because it's pushed right against the wall.
4
The job needs a bit of elbow grease — the kitchen hasn't been cleaned in weeks.
You'll need some serious physical effort — that kitchen has been ignored for weeks.
5
She elbowed me in the ribs to stop me from saying something embarrassing.
She gave me a quick nudge in the side to shut me up before I said something stupid.
6
There's not enough elbow room in this office for everyone to work comfortably.
This workspace doesn't give people enough space to do their jobs without feeling squeezed.
7
The kids were elbowing each other at the dinner table until their mum told them to stop.
The children kept pushing each other's arms during dinner until their mother stepped in.
8
He got tennis elbow from spending too many hours at the computer, not from playing tennis.
He developed pain in his arm joint from long hours of computer work, not from any sport.
9
At the networking event, she got to rub elbows with some of the biggest names in tech.
At the event, she had the chance to socialise with some very influential people in technology.
10
The crowd was so packed that someone's elbow was digging into my back the entire concert.
It was so crowded that a stranger's arm was pressing into my back for the whole show.
Phrasal Verbs & Idioms
3 items Phrasal Verbselbow out — to gradually push someone out of a position, role, or place — often in work or competition
The new manager slowly elbowed out the people who disagreed with her.
Idioms & Expressionselbow grease — hard physical effort, especially for cleaning or manual work — not an actual product
This old floor just needs some elbow grease and it'll look brand new.
rub elbows with — to mix or socialise with people, especially those who are rich, famous, or powerful
Working at that gallery, she got to rub elbows with some serious art collectors.
Synonyms & Antonyms
6 items
Synonymsnudge
a gentler push — usually to get someone's attention, not to move them out of the way
shove
stronger and rougher than elbow — a full-body push, more aggressive
jostle
to bump against people in a crowd — less intentional than elbowing
Antonymsyield
to step aside and let someone pass — the opposite of pushing through
make way
to move aside for someone politely — the opposite of elbowing past
step back
to move away and give space instead of pushing in