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oil

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verb

as in to grease
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

Synonyms & Similar Words

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 oil
Noun
Environmental groups pointed out Bains has taken tens of thousands in campaign contributions from oil companies. Nicole Nixon, Sacbee.com, 4 June 2025 This wow dish kicks off a three-course seafood progression that continues with a luscious brown butter-roasted scallop dish with fresh green asparagus, ramp oil and a bone marrow ragout. Pam Kragen, San Diego Union-Tribune, 4 June 2025
Verb
Her glowing and freshly oiled skin effortlessly catches the light, playing off her lacquered purple lips and vivid green eyelids for a look that’s equal parts daring and divine. Mecca Pryor, Essence, 21 Apr. 2025 To oil this customer engagement machine, Amazon introduced Prime. Christian Stadler, Forbes.com, 7 Apr. 2025 See All Example Sentences for oil
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oil
Noun
  • The exhibit, which uses garments, paintings, video and more from the 1700s to today, will run at the MET through October.
    Brittney Melton, NPR, 5 June 2025
  • Raymond Saunders: Flowers From a Black Garden is a dynamic selection of the artist’s layered, mixed-media works that blend painting, drawing, and collage.
    Okla Jones, Essence, 4 June 2025
Verb
  • And history verifies that a squeaky wheel gets greased.
    Omar Kelly, Miami Herald, 3 June 2025
  • Each element is connected by strong metal hinges that can be easily greased to keep movement seamless.
    Shea Simmons, Southern Living, 28 May 2025
Noun
  • But here, King and Flanagan do it without a heavy hand on the macabre, even though the initial canvas is only a short-story format.
    Jen Juneau, People.com, 6 June 2025
  • For example, Johnson has embraced what art historians call gestural abstraction, a spontaneous style of smearing, pouring or dribbling paint on canvas, pioneered by artists like Jackson Pollock and Willem de Kooning, who also incorporated figures into his expressive technique.
    Jacoba Urist, Smithsonian Magazine, 3 June 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Oil.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oil. Accessed 10 Jun. 2025.

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