OILY Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

oily

adjective

ˈȯi-lē

Definition of oily

as in soapy

overly or insincerely flattering an executive who surrounds herself with oily, sycophantic assistants

Synonyms & Similar Words

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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 oily According to Sokolowski, witch hazel can be used to clean stainless steel appliances without leaving behind residue because of its ability to effectively remove fingerprints and other light oily marks. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 11 July 2026 The best products for this are balancing or strengthening products, such as shampoos for oily hair. — Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 10 July 2026 This powerhouse laundry helper breaks down stubborn oily residue at the source, leaving clothes smelling noticeably fresher after every wash. — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 July 2026 Seborrheic dermatitis causes dandruff and causes the skin to be oily, scaly, and red; an abundance of fungi can also lead to dandruff. — Bestreviews, Mercury News, 7 July 2026 See All Example Sentences for oily

Recent Examples of Synonyms for oily

Adjective

For instance, in 2018, Ristroph and colleagues fine-tuned the recipe for the perfect bubble based on experiments with soapy thin films.

— Jennifer Ouellette, ArsTechnica, 13 July 2026
Pick up the trap in the morning, discard the earwigs in a trash can, or shake them into a bucket of soapy water to kill them.

— Nafeesah Allen, Better Homes & Gardens, 9 July 2026

Definition of soapy

Adjective

The 2022 spill was the largest ever from the Keystone pipeline, killing or sickening 2,700 animals.

— Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
But there are multiple Ebola strains, and those vaccines, treatments, and tests aren’t effective against the rarer strain, Bundibugyo, sickening people today.

— Alice Park, Time, 2 July 2026

Definition of sickening

Adjective

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
Ted Cruz, the perennial front-runner, is smug and oleaginous—hated equally by his colleagues and the public.

— Alex Shephard, The New Republic, 26 Sep. 2022

Definition of oleaginous

Adjective

The unctuous and sweet char siu pork jowl is interspersed with green apple pressed with lime and ginger for a bright and crisp counter to the fatty pig.

— Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 16 June 2026
Made with the unctuous 8-percent-fat milk of the water buffalo—animals that may have arrived in the area via the Normans by way of Sicily, or perhaps by the Goths coming from Central Asia—buffalo mozzarella has been produced at least since the twelfth century.

— Literary Hub, Literary Hub, 11 June 2026

Definition of unctuous

Adjective

Except for the unfettered devotion in the latter is replaced by swooping strings and a gushy chorus that merely offer an antiseptic veneer.

— Melissa Ruggieri, USA Today, 18 June 2026
The announcement may come as a shock for country fans who have followed the couple through their sappy podcast appearances and gushy acceptance speeches.

— Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 16 June 2026

Definition of gushy

Adjective

Though mighty hagiographic, McPhee’s ability to break down a player’s gifts makes a poetic case for the game.

— Brittany Allen, Literary Hub, 18 June 2026
While these celebrity docs are hagiographic and formulaic, the interviews with Nadal and family and rivals like Federer and Novak Djokovic do push beyond the surface.

— Stuart Miller, Los Angeles Times, 18 May 2026

Definition of hagiographic

Adjective

The pan de yuca, a gluten-free cheesy roll made from cassava starch is a standout, as is the abundant fresh fruit and fruit juice.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 15 July 2026
While magnesium is relatively abundant, lithium and nickel are present in much smaller quantities.

— Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 14 July 2026