OILS Synonyms: 43 Similar and Opposite Words

oils 1 of 2

noun

plural of oil

as in paintings

a picture created with oil paint that artist is known to have created only oils and charcoal sketches

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oils

2 of 2

verb

present tense third-person singular of oil

as in greases

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

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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 oils

Noun

Katie strives to use catering companies that adhere to the teachings of the Make America Healthy Again movement, one regular guest says, which encourages the consumption of raw milk and the avoidance of seed oils. — Aidan McLaughlin, Vanity Fair, 8 Oct. 2026 Apotheke Bergamot Tangerine Candle Unlike its competitors, Apotheke uses 15–18% fragrance oils (more than three times the amount commonly used in scented candles). — Audrey Lee, Architectural Digest, 7 Oct. 2026 Finish with the lightweight Ultra Perfect Hair Bonding Oil Serum, which smooths frizz and dry ends with seven botanical oils, including argan, jojoba, and camellia. — Christa Joanna Lee, Allure, 7 Oct. 2026 Shoppers keep reaching for hair oils and hair serums as if the two bottles do the same job. — Hanna Wickes, Miami Herald, 7 Oct. 2026 Some oils can also be comedogenic and clog the follicle, which gets in the way of growth. — Hanna Wickes, Kansas City Star, 7 Oct. 2026 Meanwhile, the signature Convento Di Amalfi massage with citrus oils is offered al-fresco from a top-level terrace cabana. — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026 When raindrops hit dry ground and plants, the impact creates microscopic bubbles filled with geosmin and oils that rise into the air, pop and scatter into tiny particles that can then fill human nostrils. — Gregory Wakeman, Scientific American, 1 Oct. 2026 Refiners turn oil discarded by restaurants and other waste fats into transportation fuel, extracting additional value from crops already grown and oils that have already served their original purpose. — Edward D. Melillo, The Conversation, 30 Sep. 2026

Verb

Ramakrishnan typically oils her hair twice a week before washing it. — Katie Hill, PEOPLE, 14 Jan. 2026

Recent Examples of Synonyms for oils

Noun

The backstory Eagle-eyed guests will spot the curious Greek elements dotted around—the urns in the bathroom, the Acropolis paintings in the dining room, the Hellenic motif on the plates.

— Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Oct. 2026
The expansion will also include new gallery space for the permanent collection, which has around 2,000 paintings, 500 sculptures, and an 800-piece collection of decorative arts.

— News Desk, Artforum, 6 Oct. 2026

Definition of paintings

Verb

Rectitude is a hindrance in the game of electoral politics, where money greases the slippery pole and glad-hands welcome the winner with inside information.

— Voice of the People, New York Daily News, 24 Aug. 2026
View this post on Instagram Access greases the gears of the entire apparatus by creating its own positive feedback loop, like an ouroboros of exclusivity.

— Bloomberg, Mercury News, 14 Apr. 2026

Definition of greases

Noun

The auction includes canvases by Van Gogh and Cézanne, which are alone estimated to bring in $180 million and $120 million, respectively.

— News Desk, Artforum, 30 Sep. 2026
There is Adnan, steadily and unhesitatingly marking up pages in ink, or scraping pigment onto canvases with a palette knife, creating simplified, color-rich forms drawn from nature and memory.

— Devorah Lauter, ARTnews.com, 30 Sep. 2026