oily

play

adjective \ ˈȯi-lē \

Definition of oily

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

—

oilily

play \ˈȯi-lə-lē\ adverb

—

oiliness

play \ˈȯi-lē-nəs\ noun

See oily defined for English-language learners

See oily defined for kids

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 of oily from the Web

Of equal importance when applying sunscreen, pick a more matte option, and not an oily one.

— adam hurly, GQ, "How to Prevent Pimples in Weird Places," 26 Aug. 2017
Crews attempted to contain the fuel spill in the early morning hours, and daylight allowed firefighters to track the oily sheen all the way up the canal to the Sewerage & Water Board plant.

— richard rainey, NOLA.com, "Diesel leak at Sewerage & Water Board plant traced to siphon left running," 25 Aug. 2017
The whales also benefited in the early 2000s when a favorite prey, the oily copepod Calanus finmarchicus, burgeoned in the whale's summering grounds in the Gulf of Maine, the Bay of Fundy, and the Scotian Shelf.

— erik stokstad, Science | AAAS, "Endangered right whales are dying in record numbers off Canada, raising alarm," 24 Aug. 2017
Voyager 1 plumbed a fat, smoggy atmosphere of Titan, where nitrogen and methane rains fall on a frozen slush pile of hydrocarbons and oily lakes, and then headed off toward interstellar space.

— dennis overbye, New York Times, "A Reverie for the Voyager Probes, Humanity’s Calling Cards," 21 Aug. 2017
Some oily trees such as eucalyptus tend to burn faster and hotter than others.

— debbie arrington, sacbee, "Protect your home from wildfire – before it’s too late," 28 July 2017
Keep it away from the roots to keep them from getting oily.

— carly cardellino, Cosmopolitan, "15 Hacks That Will De-Frizz Your Hair Fast," 14 July 2017
Dear Answer Angel Ellen: Is there a shampoo for extremely oily hair?

— ellen warren, chicagotribune.com, "Peeking into the mesh athletic-wear trend," 10 July 2017
Now, find out how to blot oily skin with just about anything:

— allure, Teen Vogue, "Dermatologists Weigh in on DIY Sunscreen," 7 July 2017

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

First Known Use of oily

14th century

oily Synonyms

Synonyms

adulatory, gushing, gushy, hagiographic (also hagiographical), fulsome, oleaginous, soapy, unctuous

Near Antonyms

artless, earnest, genuine, heartfelt, honest, ingenuous, sincere, true, unaffected, unfeigned, unpretending, unpretentious

OILY Defined for English Language Learners

oily

play

adjective

Definition of oily for English Language Learners

: having the smooth or greasy quality of oil
: covered or soaked with oil
: containing or producing a large amount of oil

OILY Defined for Kids

oily

play

adjective \ ˈȯi-lē \

Definition of oily for Students

oilier; oiliest

:covered with or containing a greasy substance

oily rags

—

oiliness

noun

Medical Dictionary

oily

play

adjective \ ˈȯi-lē \

medical Definition of oily

oilier; oiliest

1 :of, relating to, or consisting of oil

2 :excessively high in naturally secreted oils

oily hair

oily skin

Learn More about oily

See words that rhyme with oily Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for oily Spanish Central: Translation of oily Nglish: Translation of oily for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of oily for Arabic speakers

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OILY Defined for English Language Learners

oily

Definition of oily for English Language Learners

OILY Defined for Kids

oily

Definition of oily for Students

oiliness

Medical Dictionary

oily

medical Definition of oily

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