as in soapy
overly or insincerely flattering
an executive who surrounds herself with oily, sycophantic assistants
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Examples Sentences
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Recent Examples of oily
Jefferson’s body moves like a bowling ball down an oily lane.
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Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
But even the oiliest among us tend to dry out in the winter, when humidity drops and biting winds sap the moisture from our largest organ.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2024
Foam cleansers are best for oily skin, while cream cleansers will satisfy dry and sensitive skin.
—Celeste Polanco, Essence, 20 Dec. 2024
Its long-wearing formula is ideal for oily skin and helps reduce unwanted shine.
—Jessica Copeland, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oily 
Alec Lewis, The Athletic, 2 Jan. 2025
But even the oiliest among us tend to dry out in the winter, when humidity drops and biting winds sap the moisture from our largest organ.
—Justin Fenner, Robb Report, 19 Dec. 2024
Foam cleansers are best for oily skin, while cream cleansers will satisfy dry and sensitive skin.
—Celeste Polanco, Essence, 20 Dec. 2024
Its long-wearing formula is ideal for oily skin and helps reduce unwanted shine.
—Jessica Copeland, Rolling Stone, 16 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oily
Adjective
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There is just cause for the soapier parts: Manet was married, and Morisot wed his brother.Julie Belcove, Robb Report, 23 Nov. 2024
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The group that seems to have inspired Reid is Fleetwood Mac, which, with its shifting intramural love relationships, sundry drug problems and issues of control — the soapiest of rock’s many operas — was a romance novel/miniseries waiting to happen.Robert LloydTelevision Critic, Los Angeles Times, 2 Mar. 2023
Adjective
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While the American food supply is among the safest in the world, the Food and Drug Administration estimates that there are about 48 million cases of foodborne illness annually – the equivalent of sickening 1 in 6 Americans each year.Jennie Key, The Enquirer, 27 Dec. 2024
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Los Angeles County is suing the owner of Chiquita Canyon Landfill for failing to control a high-temperature chemical reaction that is cooking garbage and sickening nearby residents.Tony Briscoe, Los Angeles Times, 17 Dec. 2024
Adjective
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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
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At any moment, the noodles might dissolve, the cheese topping burn, the dish collapse into a soggy, oleaginous mess.Isaac Butler, The New Yorker, 1 Dec. 2023
Adjective
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The pickled mustard seeds provide little pears of flavor and an edge of acid that cuts through the unctuous dish.Jeremy Repanich, Robb Report, 30 Dec. 2024
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Pasta sauces are unctuous, and the tiramisu made my lactose-intolerant dining companion giddy.Kendyl Kearly, Baltimore Sun, 25 Nov. 2024
Adjective
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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
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There’s no better time to embrace the mushy gushy than in the first few moments after winning gold medals together.Meg Linehan, The Athletic, 10 Aug. 2024
Adjective
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Recording a song for the hagiographic Ronald Reagan movie but not his own biopic?Chris Stanton, Vulture, 25 Dec. 2024
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Andrew Stevens pays loving but not hagiographic tribute to his late mother, famed actress Stella Stevens, in his documentary recently showcased at the Fort Lauderdale International Film Festival.Frank Scheck, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019
Adjective
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The cruel irony is that water is currently abundant in Los Angeles.Chloe Sorvino, Forbes, 13 Jan. 2025
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At the heart of the case against seed oils are concerns about the omega-6 fatty acids that are abundant in them.Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Jan. 2025
Thesaurus Entries Near oily
Cite this Entry
“Oily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oily. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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