oils 1 of 2

Definition of oilsnext
plural of oil

oils

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of oil
as in greases
to coat (something) with a slippery substance in order to reduce friction if you oil the machinery on a regular basis, it will operate more efficiently

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of oils
Noun
Harsh or foaming cleansers strip away natural oils that mature skin needs to stay plump, and without those oils, fine lines look deeper and more pronounced. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 24 Apr. 2026 Harsh cleansers strip the skin of natural oils, and that loss of moisture can make fine lines look deeper and more pronounced. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Sacbee.com, 24 Apr. 2026 Harsh cleansers strip natural oils from the skin, which makes fine lines look deeper and more prominent. Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 24 Apr. 2026 Plumping lip oils, brushes and more available. Tory Johnson, ABC News, 23 Apr. 2026 It can also be found in certain oils. Jillian Kubala, Health, 23 Apr. 2026 Pictures of the stand filed in court by the city show a hodgepodge of food ingredients, spices, cooking oils, pots, crates, and propane tanks powering a campfire stove. Nate Gartrell, Mercury News, 22 Apr. 2026 An entrepreneur and influential food activist in the Make America Healthy Again movement, Hari gives regular shoutouts to substitutes for snacks that contain corn syrup, seed oils, and other ingredients on health-conscious Americans’ blacklist. Sarah Todd, STAT, 22 Apr. 2026 Bar soap is generally safer to use in the garden than liquid soaps and detergents, which are designed to break down oils. Brandee Gruener, Southern Living, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
Ramakrishnan typically oils her hair twice a week before washing it. Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oils
Noun
  • More than 30 Guild artists will exhibit and sell their work throughout the properties, including paintings, ceramics, glass, gourd art, fiber arts, photography and jewelry.
    News Release, San Diego Union-Tribune, 23 Apr. 2026
  • The earthy background palate is enlivened by pops of coral and deep burgundy, the custom furnishings personalized by paintings, sculptures, and gorgeous books.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 23 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • View this post on Instagram Access greases the gears of the entire apparatus by creating its own positive feedback loop, like an ouroboros of exclusivity.
    Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026
  • No eyeball-grabbing videos, no partisan commentary or agenda, and none of the edge or snark that greases the gears of the perpetual-political-outrage machine.
    Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Noun
  • The canvases create confusingly affective echoes of defense tech’s cultural force-memeing.
    Simon Denny, Artforum, 20 Apr. 2026
  • But where many single-color canvases from the era were characterized by the smooth, even application of paint, Hayward purposefully left his materials chunky and thick.
    Alex Greenberger, ARTnews.com, 20 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Oils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oils. Accessed 27 Apr. 2026.

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