Synonyms of oil

oil 1 of 2

noun

ˈȯi(-ə)l 

as in painting

a picture created with oil paint

that artist is known to have created only oils and charcoal sketches

Synonyms & Similar Words

• painting
• canvas
• oil painting
• watercolor
• mural
• fresco
• panorama
• drawing
• acrylic
• etching
• gouache
• pastel
• masterpiece
• tempera
• diptych
• distemper
• finger painting
• sketch
• aquarelle
• triptych
• showpiece
• pièce de résistance

oil

2 of 2

verb

as in to grease

to coat (something) with a slippery substance in order to reduce friction

if you oil the machinery on a regular basis, it will operate more efficiently

Synonyms & Similar Words

• grease
• wax
• lubricate
• wash
• slick
• wet
• water
• soak
• bathe
• drench
• douse
• souse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rough
• dry
• roughen
• coarsen
• sear
• dehydrate
• parch

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of oil

Noun

The state gets nearly all its food from cargo ships that have traveled thousands of miles, making prices and the selection at stores vulnerable to oil market spikes. — ABC News, 25 July 2026

The state gets nearly all its food from cargo ships that have traveled thousands of miles, making prices vulnerable to oil market spikes. — Dee-Ann Durbin, Chicago Tribune, 25 July 2026

Verb

At that point, a piston forces oil upward through small or large openings and valves, depending on the velocity of the impact. — Stephanie Pearson, Wired News, 3 June 2026

Cavallari posted a clip of her and her oiled-up, bronzed six-pack in action on Instagram. — Madeleine Marr, Miami Herald, 29 May 2026

Phrases Containing oil

• oil painting
• oil the hand (of)
• oil the palm (of)