unctuous

adjective

ˈəŋ(k)-chə-wəs How to pronounce unctuous (audio)
Definition of unctuousnext
1
as in fake
not being or expressing what one appears to be or express an unctuous effort to appear religious to the voters

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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

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 unctuous Played with unctuous authority by the multilingual Danish performer Claes Bang, Kersten claims to have used his influence to obtain the freedom of thousands of concentration camp prisoners, and is obsessed with winning a Nobel Prize. — Alissa Simon, Variety, 7 Aug. 2026 The uni—or sea urchin—come from Hokkaido and have an unctuous, egg yolk richness. — Erika Ebsworth-Goold, Midwest Living, 3 Aug. 2026 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, 11 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for unctuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unctuous
  1. fake
  2. oily
  3. double
  4. oleaginous
  5. lip
  6. sickening
  7. strained
  8. gushy
Adjective
  • While policymakers debate new privacy laws, doctors such as Julien Cavanagh say they are left to fix the mess that targeted online ads for fake cures create for patients’ health.
    — Washington Post, Washington Post, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Criminals can imitate those messages to create panic and lure people toward fake login pages.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Oct. 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • Sebum and Parkinson’s Clues to disease also reside in sebum, an oily, sticky substance produced by tiny glands in hair follicles.
    — Marta Zaraaska, Washington Post, 1 Nov. 2026
  • Others have used it to remove oily stains from their toddlers like crayon marks on carpet, and one reviewer says it’s saved many of their clothes from being ruined in a household with unavoidable messes from both kids and pets.
    — Caley Sturgill, Southern Living, 25 Oct. 2026
Definition of oily
Adjective
  • Even the smallest one is delightfully cozy, with a double bed and windows looking onto the street, perfect for a couple or solo traveler.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Like when Edmonds drew in a double team in the post and found a Robinson for an open 3-pointer that gave TCU a 10-5 lead early in the first.
    — Steven Johnson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2026
Definition of double
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
  • Likewise, lip masks designed to be worn overnight can provide improved hydration and comfort over daytime treatments.
    — Caroline Reilly, Forbes.com, 25 Mar. 2026
  • On the opposite end of the spectrum, Tatianna points to cinnamon as a conductor of heat—one commonly used in lip plumper products to achieve a sultry pout.
    — Essence, Essence, 23 Nov. 2025
Definition of lip
Adjective
  • Advertisement In Brazil and South America, outbreaks of a fungus that causes a disfiguring and sometimes fatal skin disease have been sickening cats, dogs, and people.
    — Dominique Mosbergen, Time, 27 Oct. 2026
  • And, of course, leave it to Zendaya to add some sickening vintage to the WNBA Finals.
    — Hannah Jackson, Vogue, 27 Oct. 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • That decision left the financially strained athletic department staring at a buyout of roughly $50 million.
    — Mike Bianchi, The Orlando Sentinel, 1 Nov. 2026
  • The relationship between LaLiga and Real Madrid is beyond strained—see Tebas’ Nazi comments as an example—but on this two agreed that everyone involved had to bend the knee.
    — Eben Novy-Williams, Sportico.com, 30 Oct. 2026
Definition of strained
Adjective
  • But something about the Ferris wheel, summer sunsets and general overindulgence convinced me that Wisconsin State Fair might just be the perfect place for romantic declarations, first dates, and altogether gushy moments.
    — Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2026
  • 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
Definition of gushy

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uncrumpling
unctuous
unctuously
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Cite this Entry

“Unctuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unctuous. Accessed 6 Nov. 2026.

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