Definition, Meaning & Synonyms
at-the-coalface
idiom
/æt ðə ˈkəʊl.feɪs/
Definition
At the coalface refers to being directly involved in the most fundamental or frontline work of a particular activity, especially in a difficult or challenging environment.
Examples
- Many teachers are at the coalface of education reform.
- Working at the coalface, the social workers saw firsthand the struggles families faced.
- As a journalist, he was at the coalface of the political unrest in the region.
Meaning
The phrase ‘at the coalface’ suggests working in a tough, hands-on role where one’s efforts contribute significantly to the outcome of a task or industry.
Synonyms
- on the front lines
- in the thick of it
- hands-on
