lubricate

verb

lu·bri·cate | \ ˈlü-brə-ˌkāt

lubricated; lubricating

Definition of lubricate

transitive verb

1 : to make smooth or slippery

2 : to apply a lubricant to

intransitive verb

: to act as a lubricant

Other Words from lubricate Synonyms Example Sentences Learn More about lubricate

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Other Words from lubricate

lubrication \ ˌlü-brə-ˈkā-shən

\ noun

lubricative \ ˈlü-brə-ˌkā-tiv

\ adjective

lubricator \ ˈlü-brə-ˌkā-tər

\ noun

Synonyms for lubricate

Synonyms

grease, oil, slick, wax

Examples of lubricate in a Sentence

it's not a good idea to use olive oil to lubricate the gears in an appliance

Recent Examples on the Web

The difference is whether oil lubricates the clutches. — Freep.com, "FREE PRESS INVESTIGATION: OUT OF GEAR Ford knew Focus, Fiesta models had flawed transmission, sold them anyway," 11 July 2019 These products lubricate your skin to cut down on friction. — Dr. Roshini Raj, Health.com, "How to Avoid Thigh Chafing This Summer," 12 June 2019 Pearsall, and about 30 million others in the country, suffer from dry eye, a chronic disease that occurs when people can no longer produce enough quality tears to lubricate the entire eye surface. — Catie Wegman, sun-sentinel.com, "Dry eye on the rise: What to know about the chronic disease," 8 July 2019 The world's global economy could not function without that supply of oil lubricating it. — Chris Isidore, CNN, "Why the Strait of Hormuz is so important," 13 June 2019 Panels and their fasteners must be stored in the off-season, and in the case of mounting panels directly to a home, their lead or brass anchors must be lubricated. — Kelly Dawson, House Beautiful, "How to Choose the Best Hurricane Shutters for Your Home," 7 June 2019 After a few hours of sitting, motor oil, which lubricates the parts in your engine, cools and sinks to the bottom. — Alex Leanse, Popular Mechanics, "4 Unusual Ways to Make Your Car Last Longer," 20 Feb. 2017 Now, lubricate the cutting wheel on the glass cutter with a drop of lightweight cutting oil or machine oil. — Joseph Truini, Popular Mechanics, "How to Cut Glass," 11 Feb. 2019 This is a condition that happens when your eyes can’t lubricate themselves adequately, according to the National Eye Institute. — Korin Miller, SELF, "How Bad Is It to Lick Your Contact, Then Put It Back In?," 19 July 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'lubricate.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.