oily

adjective

Save Word

\ ˈȯi-lē

oilier; oiliest

Definition of oily

1 : of, relating to, or consisting of oil

2a : 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

Other Words from oily Synonyms More Example Sentences Learn More about oily

Keep scrolling for more

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 The team will now get to dedicate all its attention to the little oily fish through the Anchovy Bar. — Justin Phillips, SFChronicle.com, "The most anticipated Bay Area restaurants of 2020," 8 Jan. 2020 Earlier this year, the company Omega Protein exceeded harvest limits in the bay by more than 30% on a bony and oily fish called Atlantic menhaden. — Washington Post, "Fish oil firm may be barred from fishing in Chesapeake Bay," 19 Dec. 2019 Monte Reel describes how the oily bean that makes its way into so many of our modern foods exposes the genius and insanity of globalized commerce. — Kathleen Hunter, Bloomberg.com, "House Votes to Impeach, Brexit Mandate in Action: Weekend Reads," 21 Dec. 2019 One is that the oily substance disrupts the lining of the lungs, interfering with their ability to expand. — Jamie Ducharme, Time, "The Vaping-Related Lung Disease Outbreak May Be Coming to an End," 20 Dec. 2019 To cut the richness of an oily fish like sardines, Almeida suggests a red sparkler like the Portuguese Aphros Yakkos Vinhao Grande Reserva Espumante Tinto Bruto. — Lauren Hubbard, Town & Country, "The Best Foods to Pair with Champagne," 19 Dec. 2019 Victor Garber is particularly good as an oily DuPont executive friendly with Bilott early on; that relationship will change. — Bill Goodykoontz, azcentral, "Mark Ruffalo shines in legal drama 'Dark Waters,' which flows slowly but impressively," 26 Nov. 2019 Free radical fighter Vitamin E comes from oily foods in our diet. — Cosby Stone, The Conversation, "Vitamin E and vaping injuries: What’s safe in your diet is rarely safe in your lungs," 22 Nov. 2019 Researchers have shown that some birds show a preference for certain oily smells, with some songbirds ditching the father of their chicks if a better smelling stud comes along. — Jason Daley, Smithsonian, "Birds Sniff Each Other’s Bacteria to Help Choose a Mate," 11 Nov. 2019

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.

Keep scrolling for more

Learn More about oily

Dictionary Entries near oily

Statistics for oily

Last Updated

14 Jan 2020

Cite this Entry

“Oily.” The Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster Inc., https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oily. Accessed 19 January 2020.

Keep scrolling for more

More Definitions for oily

oily

adjective

English Language Learners Definition of oily

: having the smooth or greasy quality of oil

: covered or soaked with oil

: containing or producing a large amount of oil

See the full definition for oily in the English Language Learners Dictionary

oily

adjective

\ ˈȯi-lē

oilier; oiliest

Kids Definition of oily

: covered with or containing a greasy substance oily rags

oily

adjective

\ ˈȯi-lē

oilier; oiliest

Medical Definition of oily

1 : of, relating to, or consisting of oil

2 : excessively high in naturally secreted oils oily hair oily skin

Keep scrolling for more

WORD OF THE DAY

intercalate

to insert between existing elements

Test Your Vocabulary

The Eponym Quiz

Which is the best synonym of bowdlerize?

Can you spell these 10 commonly misspelled words?

TAKE THE QUIZ

Test Your Knowledge - and learn some interesting things along the way.

TAKE THE QUIZ

oily

Definition of oily

Other Words from oily

Synonyms for oily

Examples of oily in a Sentence

First Known Use of oily

Learn More about oily

Dictionary Entries near oily

Statistics for oily

English Language Learners Definition of oily

Kids Definition of oily