oilier; oiliest
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of oil
2
a
: covered or impregnated with oil
oily rags
b
: relatively high in naturally secreted oils
oily skin
oily hair
3
: excessively smooth or suave in manner
Synonyms
Examples of oily in a Sentence
The liquid has an oily feel.
a pile of oily rags
The salad dressing was very oily.
Recent Examples on the Web
Our favorite from Rare Beauty hit each of these marks and earned a near-perfect score during testing — even on dry, oily, or acne-prone skin.
—
Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 17 May 2024
The chicken itself had a delicate, crisp crust, thanks to being fried in beef tallow, which lends a more complex flavor and a drier, less oily exterior.
—Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for oily 
Madison Yauger, Peoplemag, 17 May 2024
The chicken itself had a delicate, crisp crust, thanks to being fried in beef tallow, which lends a more complex flavor and a drier, less oily exterior.
—Bahar Anooshahr, The Arizona Republic, 7 May 2024
See all Example Sentences for oily
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oily.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near oily
Cite this Entry
“Oily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oily. Accessed 20 May. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
oily
adjective
oilier; oiliest
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of oil
2
a
: covered or soaked with oil
b
: high in oils that are naturally produced
oily skin
oiliness
noun
Medical Definition
oily
adjective
oilier; oiliest
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of oil
2
: excessively high in naturally secreted oils
oily hair
oily skin
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