To save this word, you'll need to log in.
emol·lient | \ i-ˈmäl-yənt 
\
\Definition of emollient
(Entry 1 of 2)
1 : making soft or supple also : soothing especially to the skin or mucous membrane an emollient hand lotion
2 : making less intense or harsh : mollifying soothe us in our agonies with emollient words— H. L. Mencken
emollient
nounDefinition of emollient (Entry 2 of 2)
: something that softens or soothes
Examples of emollient in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web: Adjective Several small randomized trials have found that parents who applied an emollient moisturizer to their infants’ skin each day for the first 6 to 7 months had babies who were less likely to develop eczema than parents who didn’t.
—
Alice Callahan, New York Times, "The New Rules of Food Allergy Prevention, Testing and Diagnosis," 17 Apr. 2020 Johns recommends that people apply a thick, emollient moisturizer in ointment form — such as Aquaphor Healing Ointment, rather than relying on creams and lotions, which can have alcohol and cause further drying.
—
Rebecca Gale, Washington Post, "Don’t stop at washing your hands to prevent coronavirus. Moisturize them, too.," 6 Mar. 2020 But for most politicians, dogs are no-downside campaign enhancers: friendly foils, emollient front-animals, reliable comic relief providers, and slobbery good will ambassadors.
—
Sarah Lyall, New York Times, "When Your Best Surrogate Can’t Talk," 28 Jan. 2020 Get our daily newsletter Hours later, America’s State Department issued a more emollient statement.
—
The Economist, "Nuclear talks between North Korea and America break down, again," 6 Oct. 2019 Both Zeichner and Liverman recommend adding a more emollient moisturizer, as well as an extra-hydrating serum when the temperature drops.
—
Bella Cacciatore, Glamour, "How 5 Women With Great Skin Transition Their Skin-Care Routines to Fall," 30 Sep. 2019 Labour’s emollient approach means that the Tories no longer need to be macho about welfare.
—
The Economist, "British attitudes to welfare have undergone a quiet revolution," 11 July 2019 Next is the Eye Concentrate, a rich, emollient cream formulated with magnetically charged hematite to melt away the appearance of dark circles and discoloration.
—
Alexis Rhiannon, Allure, "This Luxe La Mer Skin-Care Is Sure to Sell Out During the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale," 12 July 2019 Fortunately, a class of rich, emollient cold-weather creams is here to help.
—
Jenna Rennert, Vogue, "The 10 Best Moisturizers to Save Dry Winter Skin," 15 Jan. 2019 Recent Examples on the Web: Noun Commercial variants are little more than a whole lot of ordinary alcohol and a generous dollop of some kind of emollient to keep the skin from drying out.
—
Jeffrey Kluger, Time, "DIY Alternatives for When Stores Are Out of Coronavirus-Fighting Products," 1 Apr. 2020 This is why most hand sanitizers contain emollients, which are mixtures that help soften and moisturize your skin.
—
Jeffrey Gardner, The Conversation, "Vodka won’t protect you from coronavirus, and 4 other things to know about hand sanitizer," 13 Mar. 2020 Paula’s Choice recommends using this emollient-rich balm on lips, heels, elbows, and even your nail cuticles.
—
Madison Durham, USA TODAY, "20 top-rated skincare products you can get at Paula’s Choice," 12 Mar. 2020 In particular, because of their emollient oily nature, these products can help the other ingredients in the product (like the vitamin E and A in Bio-Oil, for instance) penetrate through the oily layer on top of your skin.
—
Sarah Jacoby, SELF, "Can You Use Bio-Oil On Your Face?," 21 Feb. 2020 Other types of emollients include lecithin, isopropyl myristate and isopropyl palmitate.
—
Nia Decaille, Washington Post, "A guide to the confusing and sometimes controversial ingredients in your cosmetics," 7 Feb. 2020 Dimethicone and cyclomethicone are emollients that lock in moisture while also acting as a spackle between cells to make skin look smoother and silkier, Waldorf says.
—
NBC News, "How to reduce dark under-eye circles, according to dermatologists," 29 Jan. 2020 The latest addition, however, adds lip emollients, olive oil and shea butter, to the mix.
—
Devon Abelman, Allure, "The Tarte Color Splash Lipstick Lets You Have Matte, But Moisturized, Lips All Winter Long," 1 Nov. 2019 This $8 emollient balm treatment is enriched with skin conditioners and antioxidants—like vitamin E and green tea—to protect your lips from the harsh elements and provide relief to the sensitive area all winter long.
—
Claudia Fisher, Health.com, "This Jack Black Lip Balm Heals Cracked Lips in Just One Day, According to Shoppers," 13 Nov. 2019
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'emollient.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Keep scrolling for more
Keep scrolling for more
More Definitions for emollient
emollient
adjectiveemol·lient | \ i-ˈmäl-yənt \
\Medical Definition of emollient
(Entry 1 of 2)
: making soft or supple also : soothing especially to the skin or mucous membrane
emollient
nounMedical Definition of emollient (Entry 2 of 2)
: an emollient agent
an emollient for the hands
Comments on emollient
What made you want to look up emollient? Please tell us where you read or heard it (including the quote, if possible).
Test Your Vocabulary
Obscure Shapes
- Something that is ooid is shaped like:
Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?
TAKE THE QUIZ
Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.
TAKE THE QUIZLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridgedWords at Play
Ask the Editors
Share emollient
Time Traveler for emollient
The first known use of emollient was in 1626
See more words from the same year