OILY Synonyms: 51 Similar and Opposite Words

oily

adjective

ˈȯi-lē

Definition of oily

as in soapy

overly or insincerely flattering an executive who surrounds herself with oily, sycophantic assistants

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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 oily This is not an oily, greasy ramen, but rather light and flavorful. — Kim Kay, Travel + Leisure, 24 Sep. 2026 Another new player is added to the mix in Damien Cantor (Harry Lloyd), an oily media mogul who’s introduced to Taverner by Judd over a lunch that quietly turns into an ambush. — Scott Tobias, Vulture, 23 Sep. 2026 Who actually needs digestive enzymes Signs of a genuine enzyme deficiency include diarrhea, stomach pain, bloating, unexplained weight loss and fatty or oily stool that floats. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 23 Sep. 2026 Light Fixtures and Switches Wipe light fixtures and switches regularly to prevent greasy buildup and remove oily fingerprints. — Jolie Kerr, Better Homes & Gardens, 23 Sep. 2026 See All Example Sentences for oily

Recent Examples of Synonyms for oily

Adjective

The Netflix series from Rebecca Cutter starring Malin Akerman and Brittany Snow, who lead a cutthroat yet soapy set of Texas housewives, has nabbed a season three renewal ahead of season two’s return.

— Jackie Strause, HollywoodReporter, 7 Oct. 2026
Shawn could hear his mother still clattering about in the kitchen, could smell the soapy smell of the man’s body.

— Rachel Heng, New Yorker, 4 Oct. 2026

Definition of soapy

Adjective

Hell, even recurring characters drop off without so much as the courtesy of a sickening demise.

— Ben Travers, IndieWire, 13 Oct. 2026
Hersh was held hostage for 328 sickening, agonizing, and starving days until his captors executed him with five other young and luminous people in a tunnel underneath Gaza.

— Rachel Goldberg-Polin, Time, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of sickening

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

Book a sunset seating and pair unctuous langoustine nigiri and wagyu tataki with beautifully balanced cocktails flavored with yuzu, Japanese ume apricots, and cherry blossom.

— Rachel Howard, Travel + Leisure, 26 Sep. 2026
Tucci co-wrote the script (with his cousin, Joseph Tropiano) and co-directed with actor Campbell Scott, who also plays a supporting role in the film as an unctuous Cadillac sales man.

— Frank Scheck, HollywoodReporter, 20 Sep. 2026

Definition of unctuous

Adjective

But something about the Ferris wheel, summer sunsets and general overindulgence convinced me that Wisconsin State Fair might just be the perfect place for romantic declarations, first dates, and altogether gushy moments.

— Anya Sesay, jsonline.com, 11 Aug. 2026
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

Definition of gushy

Adjective

Toei had close ties to the Yamaguchi-gumi, the biggest gang in Japan; in the early seventies, the syndicate boss’s son helped make a series of hagiographic films about his father—played by Ken-san.

— Ian Buruma, New Yorker, 12 Oct. 2026
Consider Tom Brady’s 199 Productions — so far, the company’s output has almost exclusively been hagiographic documentaries and films about Brady’s illustrious football career.

— Christian Zilko, IndieWire, 7 Oct. 2026

Definition of hagiographic

Adjective

Though local talent is abundant, there are few resources to develop homegrown IP.

— Christopher Vourlias, Variety, 13 Oct. 2026
By ditching expensive cobalt and nickel for cheap, abundant iron, automakers lower costs while creating a battery that is safer and less prone to fire.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 13 Oct. 2026