the squeaky wheel gets the grease

proverb

The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which they seek.

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Meanings

proverb

alternative the squeaky wheel gets the oil

  1. The person who complains or speaks up most loudly receives the redress or attention which they seek.

    I think it's true what they say about the squeaky wheel / Always getting the grease

    1979, James Taylor, “Shower the People”, in In the Pocket, →OCLC
    1 more example

    You know perfectly well that the squeaky wheel gets the grease, and that if you don't complain nothing ever changes.

    1995, Roger Zelazny, Robert Sheckley, A Farce To Be Reckoned With, Bantam, →ISBN, page 13

Synonyms & antonyms

Also see
a dumb priest never got a parish

Translations

Danish som man spørger får man svar
  • som man spørger får man svarthe person who complains most receives the attention
Finnish kitisemällä saa haluamansa
  • kitisemällä saa haluamansathe person who complains most receives the attention
French ceux qui parlent le plus fort ont toute l'attention
  • ceux qui parlent le plus fort ont toute l'attentionthe person who complains most receives the attention
Hebrew הגלגל החורק הוא זה שזוכה לשימון, מי שצועק מקבל
  • הגלגל החורק הוא זה שזוכה לשימוןthe person who complains most receives the attention
  • מי שצועק מקבלthe person who complains most receives the attention
Hungarian néma gyereknek az anyja sem érti a szavát
  • néma gyereknek az anyja sem érti a szavátthe person who complains most receives the attention
Māori me whāngai anō te mōkai kākā e ngete ai
  • me whāngai anō te mōkai kākā e ngete aithe person who complains most receives the attention
Norwegian Bokmål som man roper i skogen får man svar
  • som man roper i skogen får man svarthe person who complains most receives the attention
Polish najgłośniej zgłaszane problemy rozwiązuje się najszybciej
  • najgłośniej zgłaszane problemy rozwiązuje się najszybciejthe person who complains most receives the attention
Portuguese quem não chora, não mama
  • quem não chora, não mamathe person who complains most receives the attention
Spanish al que no habla Dios no lo oye, quien no llora, no mama
  • al que no habla Dios no lo oyethe person who complains most receives the attention
  • quien no llora, no mamathe person who complains most receives the attention
Turkish ağlamayana meme yok
  • ağlamayana meme yokthe person who complains most receives the attention
Cite this entry
APA

the squeaky wheel gets the grease. (n.d.). In WatkinsX Dictionary. Retrieved November 5, 2026, from https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20squeaky%20wheel%20gets%20the%20grease

MLA

“the squeaky wheel gets the grease.” WatkinsX Dictionary, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20squeaky%20wheel%20gets%20the%20grease. Accessed November 5, 2026.

Chicago

WatkinsX Dictionary, s.v. “the squeaky wheel gets the grease,” accessed November 5, 2026, https://dictionary.watkinsx.com/word/the%20squeaky%20wheel%20gets%20the%20grease.

Source: the squeaky wheel gets the grease on Wiktionary, CC BY-SA 4.0.