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

Vapor rubs containing combinations of camphor, eucalyptus and menthol oils may provide some relief for nighttime cough and cold symptoms when applied to the chest and neck. — Andee Tagle, NPR, 15 Oct. 2026 In time, the elements caused the metal to transform into a bright white-lead carbonate, which could be ground into a powder and mixed with oils and resin to make paint. — Literary Hub, 14 Oct. 2026 The apron is built to take a beating—oils and rogue splashes barely register, practically rolling right off the surface. — Alaina Chou, Bon Appetit Magazine, 14 Oct. 2026 In these paint factories, young women performed the most perilous work, managing the production of pure white-lead that would later be combined with oils. — Wendy S. Walters, Architectural Digest, 12 Oct. 2026 The scent, itself, gets better with time as incense oils, cedarwood, and labdanum resin continue mingling together. — Valentina Bottoni, Vogue, 12 Oct. 2026 Katie strives to use catering companies that adhere to the teachings of the Make America Healthy Again movement, one regular guest says, which encourages the consumption of raw milk and the avoidance of seed oils. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026 Finish with the lightweight Ultra Perfect Hair Bonding Oil Serum, which smooths frizz and dry ends with seven botanical oils, including argan, jojoba, and camellia. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026 Shoppers keep reaching for hair oils and hair serums as if the two bottles do the same job. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 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

Plush carpeting, touches of turquoise in a largely eggshell-forward palette, tasteful landscape paintings that border on abstract, and spacious private balconies make up the subtle suite design, allaying any worries of dowdy beach resort decor.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 13 Oct. 2026
The third suspect acknowledged receiving the paintings at his home and hiding them behind a wall built beneath a staircase after the theft.

— SYLVIE CORBET, Arkansas Online, 13 Oct. 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

Pollock used a barn on the property to work on his enormous canvases, while Krasner painted first in the kitchen and then in a small, upstairs bedroom.

— Anastasia Tsioulcas, NPR, 10 Oct. 2026
At Deering Estate, blue canvases stretch across a waterfront lawn, others extend among mango trees, while still more create a canvas shelter large enough for visitors to step inside.

— Miguel Sirgado, Miami Herald, 8 Oct. 2026