oils 1 of 2

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
The pros recommend primers with gripping technology and hydrating ingredients, like glycerin, plant oils, shea butter, and hyaluronic acid. Alanna Martine Kilkeary, Glamour, 27 June 2026 Margarine’s fatty acids are mainly unsaturated, from blended plant oils. Rosemary Trout, Scientific American, 27 June 2026 This is due to its high-pressure brewing method, which emulsifies the coffee’s natural oils and creates the signature crema. Alexandra Emanuelli, Southern Living, 26 June 2026 As with nuts, these oils contain considerably more unsaturated fat than saturated. Matt Fuchs, Time, 26 June 2026 Margarine manufacturers blend these oils with water and other ingredients to create a spread with a texture and appearance similar to butter. Daryl Austin, USA Today, 25 June 2026 Dry skin This is a fast-absorbing blend of seed, nut, and flower oils that delivers lightweight hydration and supports the skin barrier. Casey Delbasso, ABC News, 25 June 2026 Its main ingredient is noni fruit, which helps strengthen the skin barrier, along with hydrating oils like rosehip and jojoba. People Deals Team, PEOPLE, 25 June 2026 Abstractions that looked like scribbled pastels or Helen Frankenthaler oils or the iTunes visualizer would give way to churning data pigment, sloshing in a square frame. Max Norman, New Yorker, 25 June 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
  • In a previous life, the wooden crate had been used by artist Robert Rauschenberg, widely regarded as the father of assemblage art in the United States, to house and transport his paintings before Basquiat incorporated it into his own work.
    Michelle F. Solomon, Miami Herald, 26 June 2026
  • The journey from 1600 to 1700 Pennsylvania Avenue To humanize the presidency amid the height of World War II, Stephen Early, Roosevelt’s press secretary, commissioned Rockwell to create the suite of paintings.
    Karissa Waddick, USA Today, 25 June 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
  • Some 16 Picasso canvases have sold for more than $50 million, according to art analytics firm ARTDAI.
    Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 23 June 2026
  • In the gallery, rich, bright colors burst off the canvases, at once joyful and unsettling.
    Sarah Larson, New Yorker, 22 June 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Oils.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oils. Accessed 30 Jun. 2026.

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