OILS Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

oils 1 of 2

noun

plural of oil

as in paintings

a picture created with oil paint that artist is known to have created only oils and charcoal sketches

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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

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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

Matching silk sleep masks help block out light, and silk bonnets are designed to help protect hair from breakage and frizz while locking in natural oils. — ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026 But its real essence is pure escapism, whether dangling from a mountain while rappelling or relaxing in the impeccable spa with its energizing hammam rituals and fragrant frankincense oils. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 2 Sep. 2026 Next up, a bath brush is used to stimulate natural oils for a healthy-looking coat. — Rebecca Norris, USA Today, 2 Sep. 2026 Dressings with olive, avocado, or seed oils provide heart-healthy fats and antioxidants. — Lauren O'Connor, HEALTH, 2 Sep. 2026 Some dietitians have additionally felt thrown off by new dietary advice that goes against the nutritional consensus, including an emphasis on meat, and the maligning of seed oils. — Lauren Chan, STAT, 1 Sep. 2026 The United States needs the kind of heavy oil that Venezuela produces in order to make asphalt, factory oils and efficiently make diesel and jet fuel. — David Goldman, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026 Water Stains Rub a small amount of oil, like mayonnaise or vegetable oil, on the whitened area; natural oils should suffice. — Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 1 Sep. 2026 As for full-body treatments, the Prickly Pear Sugar Scrub draws on Sonoran Desert botanicals like prickly pear and calendula extract, combined with cane-sugar-rich oils and hydrating body butter, for a thoroughly rejuvenating exfoliation. — Robb Report Studio, Robb Report, 28 Aug. 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

The combination of text and image recurs throughout Lynch’s paintings as well, where captions often make distressing narratives explicit.

— Tara Anne Dalbow, Los Angeles Times, 3 Sep. 2026
Original gold clocks, marquetry cabinets, and full-size copies of the two Velásquez paintings that previously belonged to the palacio (but are now in the Prado) harken back to the building’s past.

— Eddi Fiegel, Robb Report, 3 Sep. 2026

Definition of paintings

Verb

Rectitude is a hindrance in the game of electoral politics, where money greases the slippery pole and glad-hands welcome the winner with inside information.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of greases

Noun

The kingdom’s painters gave their canvases to palm trees and dates, dhows and calligraphy, while crude merely paid for the paint.

— Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 4 Sep. 2026
Purple Swifties initially believed that the new Spotify canvases signified a special, three-part release for TS13, Swift’s next album.

— Maya Georgi, Rolling Stone, 30 Aug. 2026