as in oily
overly or insincerely flattering
the office manager greeted the corporate bigwigs with an oleaginous welcome that should have embarrassed him
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 oleaginous
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
The interludes make for juicy lampoons of that unfortunate Western export, oleaginous showbiz faux-intimacy.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 21 June 2022
The French state is represented effectively here by oleaginous High Commissioner De Roller (Magimel), a European long based in Tahiti.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 May 2022
After tapping the oleaginous Gaetz, Biden said that crude from the Florida congressman could start flowing throughout the United States by the end of the week.
—Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2021
The same goes for the oleaginous Uriah Heep (Ben Whishaw), the legal clerk who can worm into people’s brains, as if into their guts, with his show of humility.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2020
And there is the womanizing Mr. Mantalini, whose gift for oleaginous flattery always persuades his long-suffering wife to take him back.
—Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2020
Eggplant sponges up so much olive oil in the traditional caponata recipe that the end result often is a caponata that is cloyingly oleaginous.
—Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 26 June 2019
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
The interludes make for juicy lampoons of that unfortunate Western export, oleaginous showbiz faux-intimacy.
—Peter Marks, Washington Post, 21 June 2022
The French state is represented effectively here by oleaginous High Commissioner De Roller (Magimel), a European long based in Tahiti.
—Leslie Felperin, The Hollywood Reporter, 27 May 2022
After tapping the oleaginous Gaetz, Biden said that crude from the Florida congressman could start flowing throughout the United States by the end of the week.
—Andy Borowitz, The New Yorker, 23 Nov. 2021
The same goes for the oleaginous Uriah Heep (Ben Whishaw), the legal clerk who can worm into people’s brains, as if into their guts, with his show of humility.
—Anthony Lane, The New Yorker, 28 Aug. 2020
And there is the womanizing Mr. Mantalini, whose gift for oleaginous flattery always persuades his long-suffering wife to take him back.
—Washington Post, 30 Apr. 2020
Eggplant sponges up so much olive oil in the traditional caponata recipe that the end result often is a caponata that is cloyingly oleaginous.
—Bill St. John, The Denver Post, 26 June 2019
Recent Examples of Synonyms for oleaginous
Adjective
-
Fungal dandruff can appear similar to oily dandruff.—
Carrie Madormo, RN,
Health,
1 Feb. 2025
-
Additionally, take note of oily salad dressings that taste more bitter than usual.—
Arabella Hau,
People.com,
1 Feb. 2025
Adjective
-
Mandelson is a deeply charming, borderline unctuous character.—
Sam Knight,
The New Yorker,
20 Jan. 2025
-
The pickled mustard seeds provide little pears of flavor and an edge of acid that cuts through the unctuous dish.—
Jeremy Repanich,
Robb Report,
30 Dec. 2024
Adjective
-
Sunday night’s premiere at the Eccles Center was met with screams, laughs and squirms of discomfort during the film’s more sickening moments.—
Rebecca Rubin,
Variety,
29 Jan. 2025
-
Respiratory viruses are continuing to spread across the United States, sickening millions of Americans.—
Mary Kekatos,
ABC News,
20 Jan. 2025
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
-
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
-
Arctic grayling were once so abundant in Michigan’s rivers that European settlers named a city after them: Grayling, a small town located along the Au Sable River.—
Sarah Kuta,
Smithsonian Magazine,
6 Feb. 2025
-
First time winners were abundant An exciting, early theme of the 67th Grammy Awards?—
Maria Sherman,
Chicago Tribune,
2 Feb. 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
Thesaurus Entries Near oleaginous
Cite this Entry
“Oleaginous.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/oleaginous. Accessed 9 Feb. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share