Synonyms for unctuous
- adjective
Most common
Synonyms by meaning
Adjective
1. Oleaginous — of a person, Profusely polite, especially in an insincere and unpleasant manner
oleaginous, fulsome, oily, obsequious, suave, sycophantic, greasy, fatty, fawning, slimy, ingratiating, soapy, buttery, fat, bland, sebaceous, adipose, smooth, hypocritical, chummy, servile, flattering
2. Unctuose — having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment; greasy, oily
slaistery UK, mellowy, saponaceous, unctuose dated rare, unctious dated, unguinous dated
Other
complimentary, lardaceous, savorous US, savourous UK
Definitions
- adj. 1
Having the nature or properties of an unguent or ointment; greasy, oily.
- adj. 2
Of a person: Profusely polite, especially in an insincere and unpleasant manner.
Related words
- Word family
- unctuously unctuousness unct unction unctious unctuose unctuosity
- Is a kind of
- fluidic
Example sentences
- oily If the screw is oily or greasy, it will work loose.
- obsequious Obsequious people make me feel uncomfortable.
Popularity over time
| Word | 1850 → 2019 | Trend |
|---|---|---|
| unctuous | rising | |
| oily | steady | |
| fulsome | steady | |
| obsequious | rising | |
| oleaginous | falling |
Use in printed books, per decade from 1850 to 2019.
By length
- 3 letters
- fat1
- 4 letters
- oily2
- 5 letters
- fatty2, bland1, slimy2, suave1, soapy2
- 6 letters
- smooth1, greasy2, chummy2
- 7 letters
- buttery3, adipose3, fawning2, servile2, fulsome2, mellowy
- 8 letters
- unctuose, unctious, savorous
- 9 letters
- sebaceous3, slaistery, unguinous, savourous
- 10 letters
- flattering3, obsequious4, oleaginous5, lardaceous
- 11 letters
- sycophantic4, saponaceous
- 12 letters
- hypocritical5, ingratiating5
- 13 letters
- complimentary5
The small number after each word is its number of syllables (oily2 = 2 syllables).