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

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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 Here are details on the sweet, tiny bites of unctuous decadence, and the fluffy, bogus cones best left in the freezer. — Jolene Thym, Mercury News, 3 June 2026 All the women are obsessed with an oily, unctuous man named Johnny Thunders (Dougray Scott), who’s now married to Elle’s ex-lover Dominique (Liu). — Ryan Lattanzio, IndieWire, 19 May 2026 Zesty juniper-forward versions soar in a classic Negroni, floral gins impress in a rosy gin-kombucha cocktail, and unctuous savory gin is indelible in a 50/50 martini. — Sam Stone, Bon Appetit Magazine, 12 May 2026 While the unctuous oxtail is a strong contender, and the patties are a must, the jerk chicken is still the star of the show. — Colin Wrenn, Denver Post, 31 Mar. 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
  • Ify’s box contains a fake $100 bill, but Catherine decides to keep her box.
    — Tasha Robinson, Vulture, 14 July 2026
  • Judges around the country have seen a rise in threats of violence and intimidation, including a fake swatting call to police about Barrett’s home in May.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 14 July 2026
Definition of fake
Adjective
  • Seborrheic dermatitis causes dandruff and causes the skin to be oily, scaly, and red; an abundance of fungi can also lead to dandruff.
    — BestReviews, Mercury News, 7 July 2026
  • Some scrubs feel really harsh, some are sticky, and some even leave an oily residue on the skin—but this one doesn’t do any of that.
    — Reece Andavolgyi, InStyle, 4 July 2026
Definition of oily
Adjective
  • Ildemaro Vargas walked on four pitches with one out, swiped second and scored on a 75-mph ball that Gabriel Moreno dumped down the right-field line for a double.
    — Jeff Sanders, San Diego Union-Tribune, 9 July 2026
  • The visitors had two hits before that, one of which was a two-out double by Mike Yastrzemski off the right field wall before Bart’s game-changing at-bat.
    — Chad Bishop, AJC.com, 9 July 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
  • The 2022 spill was the largest ever from the Keystone pipeline, killing or sickening 2,700 animals.
    — Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 10 July 2026
  • But there are multiple Ebola strains, and those vaccines, treatments, and tests aren’t effective against the rarer strain, Bundibugyo, sickening people today.
    — Alice Park, Time, 2 July 2026
Definition of sickening
Adjective
  • Trout, who missed 17 games due to a strained right hamstring, hit a 438-foot shot that gave the Angels an 11-0 lead in the eighth.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 9 July 2026
  • After years of strained public services, supply and food shortages and poverty, nearly 8 million people were already in need of humanitarian assistance before the earthquakes hit.
    — Nicole Acevedo, NBC news, 6 July 2026
Definition of strained
Adjective
  • 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
  • The announcement may come as a shock for country fans who have followed the couple through their sappy podcast appearances and gushy acceptance speeches.
    — Emily St. Martin, Los Angeles Times, 16 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 16 Jul. 2026.

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Nglish: Translation of unctuous for Spanish Speakers

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