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
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Recent Examples of unctuous
But there's an elevated simplicity in Rolf and Daughters' tangle of excellent tonnarelli, spun in an unctuous garlicky sauce, finished with sweet, tender lumps of Dungeness crab.
—
Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 14 July 2025
Martin studied under and is basically a Temu Alan Grant, while the unctuous Friend oozes with corporate evil.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 June 2025
The free-range pork chop from Washington’s Pure Country Farm gets more char but remains unctuous, a rarity for such a lean cut.
—Leilani Marie Labong, Travel + Leisure, 29 June 2025
At times, the display of closeness felt a bit unctuous, as when Musk praised Trump for his gold-heavy interior design makeover of the Oval Office.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unctuous
Mackensy Lunsford, Nashville Tennessean, 14 July 2025
Martin studied under and is basically a Temu Alan Grant, while the unctuous Friend oozes with corporate evil.
—Alison Willmore, Vulture, 30 June 2025
The free-range pork chop from Washington’s Pure Country Farm gets more char but remains unctuous, a rarity for such a lean cut.
—Leilani Marie Labong, Travel + Leisure, 29 June 2025
At times, the display of closeness felt a bit unctuous, as when Musk praised Trump for his gold-heavy interior design makeover of the Oval Office.
—Niall Stanage, The Hill, 30 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for unctuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unctuous
Adjective
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Cybercriminals often use fake promotional emails or ads that look like real store offers.—
Kurt Knutsson,
FOXNews.com,
2 Nov. 2025
-
The cohost brought up the astronaut during a discussion of Kim Kardashian's claim that the moon landing was fake.—
Joey Nolfi,
Entertainment Weekly,
1 Nov. 2025
Adjective
-
How To Get Rid Of Grease Stains For really oily, greasy stains, start by coating them with a layer of cornstarch or baking soda to soak up some of the grease.—
Brandee Gruener,
Southern Living,
20 Oct. 2025
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Some milky toners even pull double duty as a moisturizer replacement, which is perfect for those who live in humid climates or anyone with naturally oilier skin.—
Christa Joanna Lee,
Allure,
18 Oct. 2025
Adjective
-
The building’s 75 units offer a slew of swanky amenities, including a double-height lobby, 24-hour concierge, fitness and yoga facilities, a residents’ lounge, landscaped courtyard, and rooftop terrace.—
Abby Montanez,
Robb Report,
31 Oct. 2025
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Nespresso Cafecito de Puerto Rico Pods Perfect for strong coffee lovers, Nespresso’s Cafecito de Puerto Rico blend produces a bold, full-bodied double espresso with notes of dark cocoa and pepper and a silky crema on top.—
Mark Marino,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
31 Oct. 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
-
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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The pop of color offers a shimmer-free (rare!) means of warming up a wedding look and works equally well at lip level.—
Calin Van Paris,
Vogue,
12 Aug. 2025
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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
Adjective
-
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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This was all in jest though and while many would object to making homophobia a joke, there didn’t appear to be actual malice behind it, at least from a superficial look.—
Rafael Perez,
Oc Register,
28 Oct. 2025
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Denim Halo utilizes Dirsol RD, a new viscosity-modifying and patented pretreatment that enables superficial dyeing.—
Angela Velasquez,
Sourcing Journal,
27 Oct. 2025
Adjective
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Rookie first-round draft pick Nique Clifford has been upgraded to questionable after missing the past four games with a strained right hamstring.—
Jason Anderson,
Sacbee.com,
31 Oct. 2025
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Father Mother Sister Brother tells the story of estranged siblings who reunite after years apart and are forced to confront unresolved tensions and reevaluate their strained relationships with their emotionally distant parents.—
Zac Ntim,
Deadline,
31 Oct. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Unctuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unctuous. Accessed 5 Nov. 2025.
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