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oily

1 antonym for oily — opposites grouped by meaning.

Adj — Covered with, containing, or resembling oil.

Synonyms by Meaning

1. adj

Covered with, containing, or resembling oil.

“Her skin gets oily in the summer heat.”

oleaginous fulsome smarmy buttery sebaceous unctuous soapy greasy

2. adj

Excessively polite or flattering in an insincere way.

“The salesman had an oily charm that made her suspicious.”

Opposites

Antonyms

How to use oily

The word patterns that sound natural to a native speaker.

oily skin oily food an oily smile

Etymology

Comes from Middle English oylei, made up of oil and -y. Compare German ölig ("oily") and Swedish oljig ("oily").

Full origin of oily →

Frequently asked questions

What does “oily” mean?
The word “oily” means covered with, containing, or resembling oil. In plain terms, greasy or oil-covered, or, describing a person, unpleasantly smooth and insincere.
How do you pronounce “oily”?
“Oily” is pronounced OY-lee (/ˈɔɪli/ in IPA).
How do you use “oily” in a sentence?
Here is “oily” used in a sentence: “Her skin gets oily in the summer heat.”
What part of speech is “oily”?
“Oily” is an adjective.
Is “oily” a common word?
“Oily” is an uncommon word in modern English, usually learned at around the B1 level.
How many meanings does “oily” have?
“Oily” has 2 distinct senses listed in this dictionary. The most common is: covered with, containing, or resembling oil.

Related words

oilfish oilseed olive-oily

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Synonyms and antonyms from Wiktionary, CC BY-SA.