as in soapy
overly or insincerely flattering
an executive who surrounds herself with oily, sycophantic assistants
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
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 oily
Ducks, for instance, scoop up the oily secretion from the preen gland and spread it over their feathers to waterproof them.
—
Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2025
People with this condition usually notice itching, flaking, and scaly patches that form over oily skin.3
Tinea capitis, also known as scalp ringworm, is a fungal infection of the scalp that causes scaly patches, flaking skin, inflammation, and even hair loss.
—Marisa Garshick, Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2025
This can lead to dandruff and its characteristic oily, flaky patches of skin forming on the scalp.5
This is one reason why dandruff is more common in the colder months—your skin is more likely to be drier, and your scalp is more vulnerable.
—Sarah Bradley, Health, 13 Feb. 2025
This soothing effect makes aloe vera a quick-absorbing, non-greasy moisturizer for all types of skin, including oily skin.
—Atenea Morales De La Cruz, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oily
Gabe Allen, Discover Magazine, 20 Feb. 2025
People with this condition usually notice itching, flaking, and scaly patches that form over oily skin.3
Tinea capitis, also known as scalp ringworm, is a fungal infection of the scalp that causes scaly patches, flaking skin, inflammation, and even hair loss.
—Marisa Garshick, Verywell Health, 20 Feb. 2025
This can lead to dandruff and its characteristic oily, flaky patches of skin forming on the scalp.5
This is one reason why dandruff is more common in the colder months—your skin is more likely to be drier, and your scalp is more vulnerable.
—Sarah Bradley, Health, 13 Feb. 2025
This soothing effect makes aloe vera a quick-absorbing, non-greasy moisturizer for all types of skin, including oily skin.
—Atenea Morales De La Cruz, Vogue, 13 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for oily
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oily
Adjective
-
There is just cause for the soapier parts: Manet was married, and Morisot wed his brother.—
Julie Belcove,
Robb Report,
23 Nov. 2024
-
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
-
Rosemary Farm in Santa Maria, California, has struggled to get by as bird flu ravages poultry populations across the U.S., sickening and killing birds and causing egg prices to spike.—
Phaedra Trethan,
USA TODAY,
14 Feb. 2025
-
Plastic straws were also noted sticking out of sea turtle nostrils, and sickening or killing seabirds, fish, manatees, dolphins and other marine mammals.—
Susanne Rust,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Feb. 2025
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
-
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
-
The maguey imparts a subtly vegetal flavor, and cooks reserve just enough fat so that each bite of meat is unctuous.—
Edmund Tijerina,
Bon Appétit,
27 Feb. 2025
-
Mandelson is a deeply charming, borderline unctuous character.—
Sam Knight,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
Adjective
-
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
-
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
-
Likewise, Hollywood stars were adored in hagiographic terms.—
Michael Ashley,
Forbes,
13 Jan. 2025
-
Recording a song for the hagiographic Ronald Reagan movie but not his own biopic?—
Chris Stanton,
Vulture,
25 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
By 1800, colonists had brought it in seed mixes from Europe to North America, intent on feeding their livestock familiar European species rather than the abundant native grasses of the new continent.—
Ian Rose,
JSTOR Daily,
26 Feb. 2025
-
At an initial glance, those precepts or conditions certainly seem to make abundant sense.—
Lance Eliot,
Forbes,
26 Feb. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Oily.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oily. Accessed 12 Mar. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share