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

In practice, that means keeping prep tools like knives, cutting boards and mixing bowls together near one counter and storing cookware, oils and utensils close to the stove. — Ryan Brennan, Sacbee.com, 21 Oct. 2026 Modern hair oils blend botanical ingredients like argan, squalane and castor with lightweight silicones that seal the cuticle without the heavy, greasy feel of older formulas. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 21 Oct. 2026 Why hair oil matters for frizz and humidity Frizz is the problem oils handle most visibly. — Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Miami Herald, 21 Oct. 2026 They were found there in the late 1960s alongside early drawings, oils, and watercolors. — News Desk, Artforum, 20 Oct. 2026 Inspired by Kamimura’s generational connection to blacksmithing, this collaborative boot, called the Pāhi, is made of premium pull-up leather and is saturated with dense waxes and oils that will develop a multi-tonal patina with wear. — Stephen Garner, Footwear News, 19 Oct. 2026 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

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

Their art selection is peppered with Alexander Calder mobiles, Ellsworth Kelly canvases, and Gerhard Richter paintings, works that offer plenty of reference material, naturally.

— Angela Tafoya, Vogue, 20 Oct. 2026
Next year, Madrid’s prestigious Museo Reina Sofía will open an outpost in the city, with a collection of 138,000 paintings, sculptures and manuscripts.

— Maureen O'Hare, CNN Money, 20 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

The night before, amid the horde at the opening of Thaddaeus Ropac’s Georg Baselitz show, actor Damian Lewis was sizing up the big canvases.

— Hikmat Mohammed, ARTnews.com, 14 Oct. 2026
There, the walls are festooned with shapes that seem inspired by Cubist canvases.

— Tim Hornyak, New York Times, 14 Oct. 2026