Synonyms of oil

oil 1 of 4

noun (1)

ˈȯi(-ə)l 

as in painting

a picture created with oil paint

that artist is known to have created only oils and charcoal sketches

Synonyms & Similar Words

• painting
• canvas
• canvass
• oil painting
• watercolor
• mural
• fresco
• panorama
• drawing
• acrylic
• etching
• gouache
• pastel
• tempera
• diptych
• masterpiece
• distemper
• finger painting
• aquarelle
• sketch
• triptych
• showpiece
• pièce de résistance

oil

2 of 4

verb (1)

as in to grease

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

• grease
• wax
• lubricate
• wash
• slick
• wet
• water
• soak
• bathe
• drench
• dowse
• douse
• souse

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• rough
• dry
• roughen
• coarsen
• sear
• dehydrate
• parch

oils

3 of 4

noun (2)

plural of oil

as in paintings

a picture created with oil paint

that artist is known to have created only oils and charcoal sketches

Synonyms & Similar Words

• paintings
• canvases
• canvasses
• watercolors
• murals
• frescoes
• oil paintings
• panoramas
• drawings
• acrylics
• etchings
• pastels
• gouaches
• masterpieces
• aquarelles
• diptychs
• distempers
• sketches
• finger paintings
• temperas
• triptychs
• showpieces
• pièces de résistance

oils

4 of 4

verb (2)

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

• greases
• waxes
• lubricates
• washes
• slicks
• wets
• waters
• soaks
• bathes
• drenches
• douses
• dowses
• souses

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

• coarsens
• roughens
• roughs
• dries
• sears
• dehydrates
• parches

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of oil

Noun

Environmental groups pointed out Bains has taken tens of thousands in campaign contributions from oil companies. —Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2025

This wow dish kicks off a three-course seafood progression that continues with a luscious brown butter-roasted scallop dish with fresh green asparagus, ramp oil and a bone marrow ragout. —Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025

Verb

Her glowing and freshly oiled skin effortlessly catches the light, playing off her lacquered purple lips and vivid green eyelids for a look that’s equal parts daring and divine. —Mecca Pryor, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025

To oil this customer engagement machine, Amazon introduced Prime. —Christian Stadler, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025

Phrases Containing oil

• oil painting
• oil the hand (of)
• oil the palm (of)