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oil

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verb

as in to grease
to coat (something) with a slippery substance in order to reduce friction if you oil the machinery on a regular basis, it will operate more efficiently

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 oil
Noun
The Coast Guard is working with crews using oil absorbent materials and skimmers to remove fuel from the water. Hanna Park, CNN Money, 5 June 2025 BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, is back in business in Texas after the state removed it from a blacklist of financial firms that Republican officials deemed to be prejudiced against the oil and gas industry. Tim McDonnell, semafor.com, 5 June 2025
Verb
Her glowing and freshly oiled skin effortlessly catches the light, playing off her lacquered purple lips and vivid green eyelids for a look that’s equal parts daring and divine. Mecca Pryor, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025 To oil this customer engagement machine, Amazon introduced Prime. Christian Stadler, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for oil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oil
Noun
  • Orlik used to glimpse Warhol paintings on the walls inside.
    Sam Knight, New Yorker, 17 June 2025
  • In Wertheimer’s painting, Agrippina’s friend and attendant Acerronia Polla clings to her for dear life as the opulent ship built to fall apart is doing its dirty work.
    Diana Arterian June 16, Literary Hub, 16 June 2025
Verb
  • Tips For Making Aggression Cookies Fox's original recipe strictly specifies that there is no need to grease the baking sheet, and this recipe is the same.
    Catherine Jessee, Southern Living, 12 June 2025
  • The job is demanding: wheels must be inspected and greased, accidents like a broken carriage tongue can delay the whole train and the horses need constant care.
    Tina Li, Sacbee.com, 7 June 2025
Noun
  • But here, King and Flanagan do it without a heavy hand on the macabre, even though the initial canvas is only a short-story format.
    Jen Juneau, People.com, 6 June 2025
  • For example, Johnson has embraced what art historians call gestural abstraction, a spontaneous style of smearing, pouring or dribbling paint on canvas, pioneered by artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, who also incorporated figures into his expressive technique.
    Jacoba Urist, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oil. Accessed 21 Jun. 2025.

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