🛢️ A greasy quality 😏 A smug manner

oiliness

1 7.6

A smooth, insincere way of talking that tries to please people

noun
/ˈɔɪlɪnəs/

: untuosidad

Despite his charm, his oiliness left many feeling uncomfortable during the conversation.

Examples

She tried to mask her oiliness, but her overconfidence was evident in every speech.
The politician's constant oiliness made it hard to trust his promises.
So I keep it in the center to help my oiliness stay at Bay.
So it also kind of combats the whole kind of oiliness and makeup movement.
They're vicious and ruthless, beneath all their oiliness.

Fiction book (1995)

Synonyms

glibness

vsoiliness

3 8.5

A type of speech that sounds smooth but not honest

is more about slick self-promotion and smug personal gain

unction

vsoiliness

Archaic

1 9.9

Speech or manner that feels false and too eager to please

focuses on showy pleading rather than private smug self-interest

slickness

vsoiliness

1 6.1

A smooth, confident way of speaking that seems shallow or not sincere

is less about obvious flattery and more about surface attractiveness for gain

smarminess

vsoiliness

Informal

1 9.2

Too much praise that tries to make people like you

is more openly self-serving and personally smug rather than merely smooth

unctuousness

vsoiliness

9.9

A false friendliness that tries to please or impress people

is more about smug self-serving manner than persuasive smoothness

oleaginousness

vsoiliness

Formal

9.9

Being unpleasantly smooth and too friendly

is the more general word for that insincere ingratiation

unctuous tone

vsoiliness

9.3

A way of speaking that is too friendly and seems not sincere

is more about smug self-serving attitude than just upsetting listeners

glibbery

vsoiliness

9.8

Speaking in a smooth, confident way that does not seem sincere

is more about being smug and self-serving rather than just shallow

Antonyms

honesty

365 1.0

Being truthful and fair in what you say and do

genuineness

3 4.0

The state of being real and sincere

How Smarmy

oiliness

1 7.6

smoothness

2 4.9

insincerity

4 5.6

Surface Forms

oiliness singular

oilinesses plural

Morphology

oiliness = oily (semi-transparent) = oil + y + ness

The word is morphologically regular, but the sense is figurative ('smarmy' or 'unctuous'), which may not be obvious to learners who know only the literal physical sense.

Etymology

Oiliness can also describe a smooth, slippery way of acting because oil makes things slide; so calling someone 'oily' means they are too smooth or 'slick' and seem not sincere.