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Synonyms

not lift a finger

Idioms  

  1. Refuse to exert oneself to help or perform an action. For example, Dad won't lift a finger to help them financially, or Early in the war, America officially would not lift a finger. [Mid-1900s]

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

But the Mayor, Ekrem Imamoglu, could not lift a finger to help the city he was first elected to run in 2019.

From BBC • Sep. 9, 2025

Pechman pointed out that the officers’ lawyers, while waiting on an appeal, “did not lift a finger to engage in discovery” in the months the appeal was pending.

From Seattle Times • Dec. 3, 2022

On our last night together, he insisted I not lift a finger, so he made dinner and decided on “The Matrix.”

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 5, 2021

To cite one example from the second quarter report, we would hope that Mr. Neal would not lift a finger to help tobacco company Altria Group, which contributed the maximum $10,000.

From Washington Times • Jul. 24, 2020

If you have made up your mind to tell the lad, it is pretty plain that I can't hinder you; but I will not lift a finger to help you.

From Lover or Friend by Carey, Rosa Nouchette

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023

Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.