oilier; oiliest
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of oil
2
a
: covered or impregnated with oil
oily rags
b
: relatively high in naturally secreted oils
oily skin
oily hair
3
: excessively smooth or suave in manner
Synonyms
Examples of oily in a Sentence
The liquid has an oily feel.
a pile of oily rags
The salad dressing was very oily.
Recent Examples on the Web
Key Ingredients: Squalane Best For: Dry skin, oily skin, sensitive skin, mature skin
Size: 1 oz.
—
Emily Orofino, Vogue, 7 Sep. 2024
The super-fine, light-reflecting pigments made my complexion look healthy, not oily, and would provide a glowy finish on deeper skin tones — just not as much of a bronze.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2024
Different skin types and conditions—including oily, combination, sensitive, dry, and acne-prone—can’t tolerate the same amount of exfoliation.
—Jamie Wilson, Glamour, 8 Aug. 2024
Key ingredients: 20% DEET DEET products often get a bad rap for their smell and oily texture, but Off’s FamilyCare formula is a major exception.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oily 
Emily Orofino, Vogue, 7 Sep. 2024
The super-fine, light-reflecting pigments made my complexion look healthy, not oily, and would provide a glowy finish on deeper skin tones — just not as much of a bronze.
—Alyssa Brascia, Peoplemag, 14 Aug. 2024
Different skin types and conditions—including oily, combination, sensitive, dry, and acne-prone—can’t tolerate the same amount of exfoliation.
—Jamie Wilson, Glamour, 8 Aug. 2024
Key ingredients: 20% DEET DEET products often get a bad rap for their smell and oily texture, but Off’s FamilyCare formula is a major exception.
—Sara Coughlin, SELF, 2 Aug. 2024
See all Example Sentences for oily
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'oily.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near oily
Cite this Entry
“Oily.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/oily. Accessed 1 Oct. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
oily
adjective
oilier; oiliest
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of oil
2
a
: covered or soaked with oil
b
: high in oils that are naturally produced
oily skin
oiliness
noun
Medical Definition
oily
adjective
oilier; oiliest
1
: of, relating to, or consisting of oil
2
: excessively high in naturally secreted oils
oily hair
oily skin
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