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
An increase in testosterone can cause the skin to produce more sebum, an oily substance that can clog pores and cause acne.
—
Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 10 Apr. 2025
My skin felt more resilient, with less pronounced fine lines and balanced moisture across the oily and dry zones of my complexion.
—Claire Sullivan, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2025
Omega-3 fatty acids can be similarly tricky to get from food, as they’re primarily found in oily fish (like salmon and mackerel) and in smaller amounts in things like walnuts and flaxseeds—so you might be tempted to pop a fish oil capsule.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 18 Apr. 2025
Eating healthy, oily fish, which are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, is encouraged, while eggs, dairy and poultry are eaten in much smaller portions than in the traditional Western diet.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oily
Claire Bugos, Verywell Health, 10 Apr. 2025
My skin felt more resilient, with less pronounced fine lines and balanced moisture across the oily and dry zones of my complexion.
—Claire Sullivan, Footwear News, 1 Apr. 2025
Omega-3 fatty acids can be similarly tricky to get from food, as they’re primarily found in oily fish (like salmon and mackerel) and in smaller amounts in things like walnuts and flaxseeds—so you might be tempted to pop a fish oil capsule.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 18 Apr. 2025
Eating healthy, oily fish, which are packed with omega-3 fatty acids, is encouraged, while eggs, dairy and poultry are eaten in much smaller portions than in the traditional Western diet.
—Sandee Lamotte, CNN Money, 11 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oily
Adjective
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When Rudd, 55, appeared on Fallon's late night show to promote his new A24 movie Death of a Unicorn on Thursday, March 27, Fallon, 50, noted that Rudd has performed in just about every genre of film, television and theater one could imagine — except for the soapiest of soap operas.—
Tommy McArdle,
People.com,
28 Mar. 2025
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There is just cause for the soapier parts: Manet was married, and Morisot wed his brother.—
Julie Belcove,
Robb Report,
23 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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And once the sickening jolts of the combat takeoff had ended and Bui slowly grew accustomed to the noise and the pressure of the C-130, the taste of KFC stopped his crying.—
Jennifer Brookland,
Mercury News,
27 Apr. 2025
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To take but one example, the riots that convulsed swatches of England and Northern Ireland last year were fueled by social media accounts claiming sickening crimes by immigrants, amplified by right-wing accounts.—
David Robert Grimes,
Scientific American,
3 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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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
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At any moment, the noodles might dissolve, the cheese topping burn, the dish collapse into a soggy, oleaginous mess.—
Isaac Butler,
The New Yorker,
1 Dec. 2023
Adjective
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Then Maddy unexpectedly turns on the humor and charm when Austin’s Hollywood agent Saul — played with unctuous insincerity by Dave Rivas — arrives to talk business.—
Pam Kragen,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
31 Mar. 2025
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Unsalted butter: Adds a creamy, unctuous taste to the scampi sauce that olive oil alone can't bring.—
Catherine Jessee,
Southern Living,
26 Mar. 2025
Adjective
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That unspoken contract between gore-hungry viewers and the film is mostly forged by Christien Tinsley, the makeup effects artist whose gushy prosthetics are shown off at every turn.—
Joshua Rothkopf,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Oct. 2024
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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
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Columbus was a stand-in for the nation’s hagiographic origin story, much like the Mayflower or its Western pioneers.—
Philip Elliott,
Time,
28 Apr. 2025
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Likewise, Hollywood stars were adored in hagiographic terms.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
Eastern quolls were once abundant in southeast Australia.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
1 May 2025
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While blockbuster franchise films have been abundant in the wake of the pandemic, the overall number of wide releases has shrunk over the last decade.—
Sarah Whitten,
CNBC,
1 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oily. Accessed 6 May. 2025.
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