1
as in fake
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express
an unctuous effort to appear religious to the voters
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in oily
overly or insincerely flattering
an unctuous appraisal of the musical talent shown by the boss's daughter
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of unctuous
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
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
Those suspects include the bartender (Gabrielle Ryan), a sad sack of a man on a blind date (Reed Diamond), an imperious hostess (Sarah McCormack), and an unctuous, boozy piano player (Ed Weeks).
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2025
The maguey imparts a subtly vegetal flavor, and cooks reserve just enough fat so that each bite of meat is unctuous.
—Edmund Tijerina, Bon Appétit, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unctuous
Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 31 Mar. 2025
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
Those suspects include the bartender (Gabrielle Ryan), a sad sack of a man on a blind date (Reed Diamond), an imperious hostess (Sarah McCormack), and an unctuous, boozy piano player (Ed Weeks).
—Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 10 Mar. 2025
The maguey imparts a subtly vegetal flavor, and cooks reserve just enough fat so that each bite of meat is unctuous.
—Edmund Tijerina, Bon Appétit, 27 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for unctuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unctuous
Adjective
-
Trump still puts himself on fake magazine covers for validation, but some version of his celebrity and influence — and the attendant and unnerving public scrutiny — is now available to anyone who wants it.—
Leah Asmelash,
CNN Money,
16 Aug. 2025
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In some cases, scam victims have reached out to fraudsters on fake websites, which look legitimate, in hopes of recovering their funds.—
Kelly Phillips Erb,
Forbes.com,
16 Aug. 2025
Adjective
-
Previous research has shown that people with Parkinson’s have increased amounts of sebum — an oily, waxy substance with a distinctively musky odor — on the skin.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
21 July 2025
-
Whereas, those with oily or breakout-prone skin types might appreciate a niacinamide serum—a great anti-aging option to minimize pore size, reduce inflammation, and regulate sebum production.—
Christian Allaire,
Vogue,
17 July 2025
Adjective
-
Florence Pugh won for her work in Thunderbolts* while Michael B. Jordan won for his double role in Sinners.—
Armando Tinoco,
Deadline,
7 Aug. 2025
-
When the resident, who was a double leg amputee and under power of attorney, attempted to inform staff members of the assault, no one came to her room or responded to calls, according to the inspection report.—
Tamia Fowlkes,
jsonline.com,
7 Aug. 2025
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
-
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
-
By After Testing Over 30 Best Sellers By Siena Gagliano Unlike balms, which can make lip color slide around, a primer locks it in while keeping lips soft and comfortable.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
2 Mar. 2025
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For lip color, reach for the Merit Beauty Signature lipsticks.—
Loren Savini,
Allure,
22 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
The brazen and aggressive manhandling of Senator Padilla by the Trump administration is a sickening disgrace.—
Emma Marsden,
MSNBC Newsweek,
13 June 2025
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The practice is one of a sickening array of battlefield mistreatments recorded on video either by Ukrainian surveillance drones or Russian servicemen and then circulated on social media.—
Andrew Carey,
CNN Money,
28 July 2025
Adjective
-
Underwriting Must Be Rigorous And Justified Due diligence cannot be superficial.—
Adam Craig,
Forbes.com,
6 Aug. 2025
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On the other hand, Claude’s analysis of my email often feels superficial and biased toward newer messages.—
PC Magazine,
PC Magazine,
7 July 2025
Adjective
-
Power grids are strained, data centers are bottlenecked and companies keep throwing more hardware at the problem.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
5 Aug. 2025
-
Although family relations might be a bit strained today, this is still a great day for discussions about finances, shared property, inheritances and banking matters.—
Georgia Nicols,
Denver Post,
1 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unctuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unctuous. Accessed 20 Aug. 2025.
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