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
Long maturation sous voile, or under a veil of yeast, gives Vin Jaune a salty, earthen complexity, bold spice, and texture that’s satiny, even unctuous—perfect for rich soups and stews.
—
Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Nov. 2025
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
When coitus occurs, it’s scored by unctuous music.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for unctuous
Anna Lee C. Iijima, Bon Appetit Magazine, 24 Nov. 2025
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
When coitus occurs, it’s scored by unctuous music.
—Vinson Cunningham, New Yorker, 18 Sep. 2025
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
See All Example Sentences for unctuous
Recent Examples of Synonyms for unctuous
Adjective
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But the fake ads include the swindler’s contact information instead of the real landlord’s.—
Lew Sichelman,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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The cards were left in several cars abandoned after their occupants were arrested by ICE agents earlier this week in Eagle County, during what Sánchez described as fake traffic stops.—
Seth Klamann,
Denver Post,
23 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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And oily ducks use Dawn dish detergent.—
Anita Gosch,
Oc Register,
19 Jan. 2026
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Then, there is the addition of skincare-first ingredients like niacinamide to brighten and curb oil production — an especially welcome addition for those prone to oily skin like myself, who notice that foundation can sometimes enhance shine and greasiness.—
Karina Hoshikawa,
Refinery29,
16 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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These ones elevate the trend — pun intended — with comfortable platform soles and double side stripe appliqués.—
Jamie Allison Sanders,
PEOPLE,
11 Jan. 2026
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McDonald's has made the Big Arch — a massive double-patty burger — a permanent menu item in the United Kingdom and Ireland.—
Deirdre Bardolf,
FOXNews.com,
10 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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His widow doesn’t exactly look too broken up; less than a week after his death, Lee spots her snuggling with Dale’s brother Donald, an oleaginous candidate for governor played by Kyle MacLachlan.—
Judy Berman,
Time,
23 Sep. 2025
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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
Adjective
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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
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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
Adjective
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Jin Shin has come across some monster potholes over the last couple of weeks, including one in Koreatown that rattled his car with a sickening thump and another near the airport where its depth was obscured by water.—
Alex Wigglesworth,
Los Angeles Times,
14 Jan. 2026
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Oil is a 20th century energy source, outmoded and responsible for sickening and killing millions of people with the potential to kill millions more.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
11 Jan. 2026
Adjective
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When personal relationships become strained or neglected, that pressure spreads.—
Julian Hayes II,
Forbes.com,
24 Jan. 2026
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Meanwhile, Ware returned to Miami on Thursday for further treatment on his strained hamstring and will miss the rest of the Heat’s West Coast trip that has two games remaining on Saturday against the Jazz and Sunday against the Suns.—
Anthony Chiang,
Miami Herald,
23 Jan. 2026
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
Cite this Entry
“Unctuous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/unctuous. Accessed 27 Jan. 2026.
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