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
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 Petya Holevich, house cleaner at Fantastic Services, says the dyes, oils, and additives present in bath bombs can cling to a tub’s surface. Caroline Lubinsky, Martha Stewart, 10 Apr. 2026 Paul Donovan chief economist at UBS Some commodities are particularly exposed to the weather event, with El Niño typically putting upward pressure on cocoa, food oils, rice and sugar, Jaccarini said. Sam Meredith, CNBC, 9 Apr. 2026 Five Key Principles to Remember Prioritize hydration over stripping oils. Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Apr. 2026 Skipping oils and lotions will keep the style from getting weighed down throughout the day. Ariel Wodarcyk, InStyle, 7 Apr. 2026 Blue Lagoon Cruises said pumpable fuel as well as other oils stored onboard the ship had been removed by Monday, diminishing environmental risks. ABC News, 6 Apr. 2026 Her thigh is out of place and shiny with oils. Literary Hub, 3 Apr. 2026 Muddle, crushing mint to release oils. Shilpa Uskokovic, Bon Appetit Magazine, 2 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
  • Give The Lemon Fair a look and find paintings from local artists, comfy-chic clothes, and fun accessories.
    Jennifer Stewart Kornegay, Southern Living, 9 Apr. 2026
  • Art Awakens is a short-form series that uses AI to reveal the inner worlds of the most iconic paintings ever made.
    Max Goldbart, Deadline, 9 Apr. 2026
Verb
  • 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
  • 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
Noun
  • Josephine Joy’s canvases teem with San Diego’s pepper trees and aloe plants.
    John P. Murphy, ARTnews.com, 5 Apr. 2026
  • In the film, Coel is a reclusive painter who’s hired by the children of a famous artist to pose as his assistant and gain access to a series of fabled canvases to secure their inheritance.
    Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 2 Apr. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Oils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oils. Accessed 13 Apr. 2026.

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