1
as in fake
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
an unctuous effort to appear religious to the voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in oily
overly or insincerely flattering
an unctuous appraisal of the musical talent shown by the boss's daughter
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unctuous
Here are details on the sweet, tiny bites of unctuous decadence, and the fluffy, bogus cones best left in the freezer.
—
Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
All the women are obsessed with an oily, unctuous man named Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott), who’s now married to Elle’s ex-lover Dominique (Liu).
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
Zesty juniper-forward versions soar in a classic Negroni, floral gins impress in a rosy gin-kombucha cocktail, and unctuous savory gin is indelible in a 50/50 martini.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 May 2026
Ella Stiller arrives as Patience, Valerie’s social-media guru, Jack O’Brien sweetly plays her new hairdresser, and Andrew Scott, doing the most to eradicate any lingering Hot Priest vibes, plays a wildly unctuous NuNet executive.
—Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unctuous
Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 3 June 2026
All the women are obsessed with an oily, unctuous man named Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott), who’s now married to Elle’s ex-lover Dominique (Liu).
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 May 2026
Zesty juniper-forward versions soar in a classic Negroni, floral gins impress in a rosy gin-kombucha cocktail, and unctuous savory gin is indelible in a 50/50 martini.
—Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 May 2026
Ella Stiller arrives as Patience, Valerie’s social-media guru, Jack O’Brien sweetly plays her new hairdresser, and Andrew Scott, doing the most to eradicate any lingering Hot Priest vibes, plays a wildly unctuous NuNet executive.
—Jennifer Silverman, Rolling Stone, 29 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for unctuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unctuous
Adjective
-
Authorities say the operation powered fake websites built to steal credit card numbers, passwords and other personal information.—
Staff,
FOXNews.com,
19 June 2026
-
None of that makes the project fake.—
Gabriel Alin Zainescu,
Forbes.com,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
Key Takeaways Eating leafy green vegetables, whole grains, nuts, berries, legumes, oily fish, and more may lower LDL cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke.—
Carrie Madormo,
Verywell Health,
16 June 2026
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The best sunscreens for oily skin take this into account, by making application as enjoyable with little to no greasiness or breakout aftermath.—
Iman Balagam,
Vogue,
12 June 2026
Adjective
-
Then and only then did Brunson wrap his head in a towel, double over at the waist and start crying.—
Dana O’Neil,
CNN Money,
14 June 2026
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The Angels added to their advantage in the sixth inning when Guzman delivered a two-out two-run single and Walton followed with his run-scoring double.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
14 June 2026
Adjective
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His widow doesn’t exactly look too broken up; less than a week after his death, Lee spots her snuggling with Dale’s brother Donald, an oleaginous candidate for governor played by Kyle MacLachlan.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
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One defense, beginning in the late eighteen-hundreds, was flypaper, sheets of which were coated on one side with an oleaginous substance that lured flies, then permanently trapped them.—
David Owen,
The New Yorker,
27 July 2024
Adjective
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Likewise, lip masks designed to be worn overnight can provide improved hydration and comfort over daytime treatments.—
Caroline Reilly,
Forbes.com,
25 Mar. 2026
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On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tatianna points to cinnamon as a conductor of heat—one commonly used in lip plumper products to achieve a sultry pout.—
Essence,
Essence,
23 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
Toxic fumes are leaking into airplanes and sickening passengers and crew members at an alarming rate, according to a September 2025 report by The Wall Street Journal.—
Christopher Edwards,
PEOPLE,
15 June 2026
-
The concept of this many women vying for West is somewhat sickening to me.—
Emma Specter,
Vogue,
27 May 2026
Adjective
-
Austin Nieves, a recent transplant to the area and the man who had brought this brave group together, broke the strained silence by handing out beers.—
Andrew J. Campa,
Los Angeles Times,
19 June 2026
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Dani provides the voiceover, filled with strained metaphors about earthquakes and sermons on the importance of summer, but the pretense that the dialogue is taken from his interrogation is quickly abandoned.—
Alison Herman,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Adjective
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Except for the unfettered devotion in the latter is replaced by swooping strings and a gushy chorus that merely offer an antiseptic veneer.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
18 June 2026
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The announcement may come as a shock for country fans who have followed the couple through their sappy podcast appearances and gushy acceptance speeches.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
16 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Unctuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unctuous. Accessed 21 Jun. 2026.
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