as in to grease
to coat (something) with a slippery substance in order to reduce friction
used a petroleum based machine oil to lubricate the gears
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Recent Examples of lubricate
Deep injection wells also lubricate faults in the Earth, sometimes causing earthquakes bad enough to crack home walls and foundations.
—
Saul Elbein, The Hill, 17 Mar. 2025
This is cooking that feeds the soul and lubricates the joints, and makes a nice long train nap sound good indeed.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
The zipper pull should glide easily once lubricated.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2025
The chemicals also help lubricate substances and carry fragrances in various personal care products including deodorant; nail polish; perfumes; hair gels, sprays or shampoos; soaps; and body lotions.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lubricate
Saul Elbein, The Hill, 17 Mar. 2025
This is cooking that feeds the soul and lubricates the joints, and makes a nice long train nap sound good indeed.
—Amiel Stanek, Bon Appetit Magazine, 4 Apr. 2025
The zipper pull should glide easily once lubricated.
—Kaitlyn Yarborough, Southern Living, 4 Apr. 2025
The chemicals also help lubricate substances and carry fragrances in various personal care products including deodorant; nail polish; perfumes; hair gels, sprays or shampoos; soaps; and body lotions.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 2 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for lubricate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for lubricate
Verb
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McKinley worked quietly behind the scenes in his usual way to grease the skids for an annexation treaty.—
Robert W. Merry,
Washington Examiner - Political News and Conservative Analysis About Congress, the President, and the Federal Government,
7 Mar. 2025
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The latter also perpetuates a reliance on extractive industries, keeping the metaphorical wheels greased on the fossil fuel industry rather than encouraging it to begin winding down.—
Andrew Leahey,
Forbes,
15 Jan. 2025
Verb
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The gift further connects revelers to Carved to Flow which began in a laboratory in Athens where oils, butters, and lye from the Mediterranean, Middle East, and North and West Africa were intermingled to create a soap.—
Natasha Gural,
Forbes.com,
11 Apr. 2025
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This spray uses grapefruit, lemon and tea tree oils to remove makeup buildup and preserve your tools.—
Nora Colomer,
FOXNews.com,
9 Apr. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Lubricate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/lubricate. Accessed 2 May. 2025.
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