as in soapy
overly or insincerely flattering
an executive who surrounds herself with oily, sycophantic assistants
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oily
But oily skin that puts a glaring spotlight on your T-zone and nasolabial folds?
—
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Although the facade is cleaned regularly, no maintenance had occurred since January 1, and the hundreds of fireworks that had been projected off the face of the building had left behind an oily residue.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
Skin and hair: Collagen encourages healthy, less oily skin.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Anchovies and sardines are both small, oily fish that are usually canned or jarred.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oily
Conçetta Ciarlo, Vogue, 14 Feb. 2026
Although the facade is cleaned regularly, no maintenance had occurred since January 1, and the hundreds of fireworks that had been projected off the face of the building had left behind an oily residue.
—Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 9 Feb. 2026
Skin and hair: Collagen encourages healthy, less oily skin.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 4 Feb. 2026
Anchovies and sardines are both small, oily fish that are usually canned or jarred.
—Mark Gurarie, Health, 3 Feb. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oily
Adjective
-
Rinse out the cloth in clean water and finish by wiping down the grids to remove any soapy residue.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
15 Feb. 2026
-
Always wash vases with warm, soapy water in between uses to prevent the transmission of bacteria and disease from one bouquet to the next.—
Heather Zidack,
Hartford Courant,
15 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The rest of us could only imagine Randall’s sickening embarrassment at needing to testify at the trial.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
18 Feb. 2026
-
Her death — sudden, severe, senseless — is sickening.—
Noel Murray,
Vulture,
16 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
His widow doesn’t exactly look too broken up; less than a week after his death, Lee spots her snuggling with Dale’s brother Donald, an oleaginous candidate for governor played by Kyle MacLachlan.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
-
One defense, beginning in the late eighteen-hundreds, was flypaper, sheets of which were coated on one side with an oleaginous substance that lured flies, then permanently trapped them.—
David Owen,
The New Yorker,
27 July 2024
Adjective
-
The bun was buttery and slightly sweet, the pickles and mustard lended a bit of tang to the unctuous beef patties smothered in melty American cheese, and the sweet-but-slightly-spicy Sassy Sauce brought it all together without overpowering any other flavors.—
Tara Massouleh McCay,
Southern Living,
14 Feb. 2026
-
At Big Ma’s, the ribs are cut into manageable pieces, with just enough fat to leave the meat unctuous but easy to eat.—
Jenn Harris,
Los Angeles Times,
4 Feb. 2026
Adjective
-
The Social Security Administration sent a gushy, questionable email July 4 to millions of people collecting Social Security benefits and others.—
Susan Tompor,
USA Today,
21 July 2025
-
The chatter has only grown in recent days, after Ms. Anderson — who just celebrated a birthday — posted a story on her Instagram account, showing a lavish bouquet of flowers and a gushy card from an admirer.—
Jesse McKinley,
New York Times,
12 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
What historians and theologians know about Francis comes primarily from his own writings and hagiographic texts.—
Vanessa Corcoran,
The Conversation,
2 Feb. 2026
-
Of course, a person making a hagiographic documentary about the production of the show for Netflix probably isn’t the world’s most neutral source.—
Sharon Adarlo,
Futurism,
14 Jan. 2026
Adjective
-
Iowa's dining scene is so abundant, another meat-centric place — albeit with a different vibe — joined the high-end steakhouse on the Restaurants of the Year list.—
Rachel E. Stassen-Berger,
Des Moines Register,
12 Feb. 2026
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Hundreds of coal plants have closed in the United States in recent years as inexpensive and cleaner natural gas and renewables became super-abundant.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
11 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oily. Accessed 19 Feb. 2026.
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