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
Sango suggests using your curl cream after both your leave-in and any oils. Eden Stuart, Glamour, 5 Mar. 2026 Mix a few drops of one of the oils, two tablespoons of dishwashing liquid, and two cups of water in a spray bottle. Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 5 Mar. 2026 Keeping a few healthy oils on hand helps match cooking methods and flavor needs. Lindsey Desoto, Health, 4 Mar. 2026 The team believes that rice proteins could replace certain oils and eggs, while the extraction process itself may become more eco-friendly. Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 4 Mar. 2026 To balance the richness, the team swapped out heavy chili oils for a bright, confit garlic labneh. Brock Keeling, Oc Register, 4 Mar. 2026 These benefits are derived from a number of oils harvested from Amazonian trees, niacinamide, hyaluronic acid, and allantoin. Tamim Alnuweiri, InStyle, 3 Mar. 2026 Made with oils rich in omega-3s, -6s, and -9s, the formula supports the skin barrier while brightening the complexion. Jenny Berg, Vogue, 27 Feb. 2026 It is often made with coconut oil, table salt, and other industrial food oils, such as palm oil or canola oil. Lauren Panoff, Verywell Health, 27 Feb. 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
  • Where Wrotham has many little paintings, the Double Cube Room has one big one.
    Bethy Squires, Vulture, 12 Mar. 2026
  • Intricate paintings by 75 Italian artists cover the ceiling in the 200-foot-long main lobby, as well as the first-floor public restrooms.
    Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 12 Mar. 2026
Verb
  • Judge and Schwarber would be dangerous against any league, but my point is that instead of two leagues with distinct rivalries and stars, baseball is now one big, generic blob, which only greases the skids for Manfred’s geographical realignment dream.
    Paul Sullivan, Chicago Tribune, 24 Aug. 2025
  • That greases the skids of trust and softens skepticism.
    Expert Panel®, Forbes.com, 8 Aug. 2025
Noun
  • And when there was no space left in the hallway, large, blank canvases were hung in the kitchen to make room for more.
    Maddy Keyes, The Frontier, 5 Mar. 2026
  • Abstract canvases explore nature, the body and materiality.
    Alyson Rodriguez, Dallas Morning News, 5 Mar. 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Oils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oils. Accessed 14 Mar. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on oils

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster