as in soapy
overly or insincerely flattering
an executive who surrounds herself with oily, sycophantic assistants
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of oily
Well, who likes the feeling of oily skin?
—
Mary Honkus, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025
The edible butternuts are sweet and oily, oval-shaped and enclosed in a shell.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025
And due to the foaming nature, experts oft recommend it for oily skin types.
—Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2025
While unwinding with a Big Gulp pour of red wine at home, Taverner gets a visit Peter Judd MP (Samuel West), the oily right-wing politico that Slow Horses author Mick Herron once compared to Boris Johnson.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oily
Mary Honkus, Glamour, 10 Oct. 2025
The edible butternuts are sweet and oily, oval-shaped and enclosed in a shell.
—Jenna Prestininzi, Freep.com, 9 Oct. 2025
And due to the foaming nature, experts oft recommend it for oily skin types.
—Beatrice Zocchi, Vogue, 7 Oct. 2025
While unwinding with a Big Gulp pour of red wine at home, Taverner gets a visit Peter Judd MP (Samuel West), the oily right-wing politico that Slow Horses author Mick Herron once compared to Boris Johnson.
—Scott Tobias, Vulture, 1 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oily
Adjective
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In one of her more soapy, theatrical moments, Janssen's Betty arrives by boat to the Amsterdam Music Awards to upend a big work moment for her ex's new lover.—
Nick Romano,
Entertainment Weekly,
30 Oct. 2025
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Wash attachments in warm, soapy water in the sink.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Winter is coming, and no amount of Narcan can solve this sickening public health crisis.—
Joe Dwinell,
Boston Herald,
19 Oct. 2025
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The injury was so sickening that the CBS broadcast only replayed it once, lest anyone with a weak stomach lose their lunch.—
Dieter Kurtenbach,
Mercury News,
13 Oct. 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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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
Adjective
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Dishes like Hokkaido scallop crudo and zatar and yogurt rubbed swordfish kabob with eggplant, roasted tomato, and tahini are transporting and the unctuous roasted bone marrow is simply a must-have dish.—
Stacey Lastoe,
Southern Living,
24 Oct. 2025
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Amenities: Spa, fitness center, indoor pool, restaurants, bar Editor’s tip: The hotel has partnered with ramen stalwart Ippudo to deliver a bowl of comforting and unctuous noodles straight to your room.—
Christina Liao,
Vogue,
4 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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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
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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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Eschewing the polished, hagiographic style of many contemporary making-of documentaries, Figgis keeps his footprint small and his perspective immediate.—
Patrick Brzeski,
HollywoodReporter,
27 Aug. 2025
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Years of hagiographic media coverage and his immense social-media reach birthed legions of fanboys and nurtured a cult of personality.—
Franklin Foer,
The Atlantic,
28 July 2025
Adjective
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It is engineered to process inexpensive and abundant biomass sources, such as wood chips and various crop residues, into lower-carbon marine fuel, sustainable aviation fuel (SAF), and gasoline.—
Aman Tripathi,
Interesting Engineering,
29 Oct. 2025
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How to get rid of armadillos in Tennessee Armadillos can be a nuisance to abundant gardens and lush yards.—
Kirsten Fiscus,
Nashville Tennessean,
29 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oily. Accessed 7 Nov. 2025.
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