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
Both the leaves and flowers emit a strong, oily fragrance that deer typically dislike.
—
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 14 Apr. 2026
People with oily skin may find gels take longer to evaporate.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Enduring oily fingertips — and the subsequent pile of greasy napkins?
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Also, compost responsibly by not putting meat scraps, greasy, oily or sweet materials in your compost pile.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oily
Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 14 Apr. 2026
People with oily skin may find gels take longer to evaporate.
—Bestreviews, Chicago Tribune, 14 Apr. 2026
Enduring oily fingertips — and the subsequent pile of greasy napkins?
—Tanasia Kenney, Charlotte Observer, 13 Apr. 2026
Also, compost responsibly by not putting meat scraps, greasy, oily or sweet materials in your compost pile.
—Rick Sobey, Boston Herald, 9 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for oily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oily
Adjective
-
To keep tools hygienic and effective, remove trapped hair after each use and soak them in warm, soapy water every couple of weeks.—
Nafeesah Allen,
Better Homes & Gardens,
28 Apr. 2026
-
Wash them well in hot, soapy water and then dip them in one gallon of cool water and one tablespoon of regular, unscented bleach.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
25 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But a radioactive cloud was wafting across Europe, setting off alarms in a Swedish laboratory nearly seven hundred miles away and slowly sickening tens of thousands of people.—
Lizzie Johnson,
New Yorker,
25 Apr. 2026
-
That flight had twice aborted takeoff and declared an emergency due to an odor onboard that was sickening flight attendants.—
Aaron Cooper,
CNN Money,
23 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
-
Salting too far in advance (or worse, mixing salt into the patties) will draw moisture to the surface, rendering the meat bouncy rather than unctuous.—
Li Goldstein,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
14 Apr. 2026
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Ella Stiller arrives as Patience, Valerie’s social-media guru, Jack O’Brien sweetly plays her new hairdresser, and Andrew Scott, doing the most to eradicate any lingering Hot Priest vibes, plays a wildly unctuous NuNet executive.—
Jennifer Silverman,
Rolling Stone,
29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
Perhaps no father-daughter duo is cooler than Lenny and Zoë Kravitz, but that doesn't mean the rocker is immune to all the gushy feelings fatherhood brings.—
Stephanie Sengwe,
PEOPLE,
22 Apr. 2026
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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
Adjective
-
But all the myth and sorrow around the dynasty mean many takes tilt hagiographic.—
Brittany Allen,
Literary Hub,
23 Mar. 2026
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The Gracious Visionary is a rather hagiographic film title for one’s life and work.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
22 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
The park is famous for its hiking trails, abundant wildlife like the bruin buddy above, and vibrant flora.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA Today,
8 May 2026
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Mapping the seafloor With oceans covering 71% of the Earth’s surface, the marine ecosystem is the largest and most abundant in the world.—
Kurt Snibbe,
Oc Register,
8 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Oily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oily. Accessed 10 May. 2026.
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