as in painting
a picture created with oil paint
that artist is known to have created only oils and charcoal sketches
Synonyms & Similar Words
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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
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oil
ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
The standoff over the strait continues The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, is still nearly 50% higher than when the war began because of Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes in peacetime.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Prevent rust by cleaning cast iron right after cooking, drying it thoroughly, and oiling it every time.
—Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oil
Noun
The French president warned against instigating panic with talk about fuel shortages as a result of the closure of the Strait of Hormuz from which roughly a fifth of the world’s oil and gas passes.
—ABC News, 25 Apr. 2026
The standoff over the strait continues The price of Brent crude oil, the international standard, is still nearly 50% higher than when the war began because of Iran’s grip on the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic waterway through which a fifth of the world’s oil passes in peacetime.
—Munir Ahmed, Los Angeles Times, 25 Apr. 2026
Verb
Routine Maintenance for Your Butcher Block Keeping butcher block properly oiled is one of the best ways to protect it from wear and bacteria.
—Jessica Safavimehr, Southern Living, 7 Feb. 2026
Prevent rust by cleaning cast iron right after cooking, drying it thoroughly, and oiling it every time.
—Emily Benda Gaylord, The Spruce, 17 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oil
Noun
-
As the women sat on a silk fabric sofa, the wall behind them showcased a painting of Independence Hall in Philadelphia, painted by Ferdinand Richardt in 1858.—
Kathryn Palmer,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
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The painting, a collaboration between the Glenview Art League, residents and Chicago artist Anne Farley Gaines, depicts a bridge on the North Branch of the Chicago River and will run parallel to the river.—
Jennifer Johnson,
Chicago Tribune,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
View this post on Instagram Access greases the gears of the entire apparatus by creating its own positive feedback loop, like an ouroboros of exclusivity.—
Bloomberg,
Mercury News,
14 Apr. 2026
-
No eyeball-grabbing videos, no partisan commentary or agenda, and none of the edge or snark that greases the gears of the perpetual-political-outrage machine.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
5 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
While these sneakers may look like a modern spin on a classic canvas style — the design holds more than meets the eye.—
Sian Babish,
PEOPLE,
27 Apr. 2026
-
Both vague and central to the true essence of style, the phrase seems aimed at urging designers to use the body as a blank canvas.—
Edward Segarra,
USA Today,
27 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oil. Accessed 1 May. 2026.
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