unction

Examples

• All

• For love of grace, lay not that flattering unction to your soul, that not your trespass, but my madness speaks: It will but skin and film the ulcerous place, whilst rank and corruption, mining all within, infects... unseen.

  Two Girls and a Guy (1998)

• Mother, for love of grace lay not that flattering unction to your soul that not your trespass but my madness speaks.

  Hamlet (1948)

• However, I still maintain that receiving extreme unction four times in one lifetime is excessive.

  Fiction book (2002)

• They are giving him extreme unction.

  War and Peace (1956)

• Being themselves full of the unction of the Holy One, they shall continually transmit the same to others also.

  Blog text (12)

• During the speech, the politician used such flowery language and unction that many were charmed but saw right through the insincerity.

• Despite her unction, the audience remained skeptical about her true intentions behind the heartfelt words.

• His acceptance speech was filled with unction, aiming to win over the crowd with overly sentimental rhetoric.

Synonyms

S

smarm

vsunction

• Informal

1 9.7

Praise that is too much and not sincere to make someone like you

stresses affected earnestness and charm beyond mere flattering words

U

unctuous behavior

vsunction

1 9.8

Trying too hard to please others by being polite and friendly in a way that does not seem honest

describes the overall affected speech or manner rather than specific acts

S

smarminess

vsunction

• Informal

1 9.2

Too much praise that tries to make people like you

is about an affected manner aiming to charm rather than a simple trait

O

oiliness

vsunction

1 7.6

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

is more about the goal of charming superficially than the smooth style itself

U

unctuousness

vsunction

9.9

A false friendliness that tries to please or impress people

is a broader affected manner aimed at charming superficially

U

unctuous tone

vsunction

9.3

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

covers general affected behaviour, not only the way someone speaks

O

oleaginousness

vsunction

• Formal

9.9

Being unpleasantly smooth and too friendly

is the central, everyday sense of that same affected insincerity

F

fulsomeness

vsunction

9.9

Excessive praise that feels fake and forced

focuses more on an affected personal manner than on praise alone

Antonyms

C

candidness

1 5.1

An honest and open way of speaking or acting

H

heartfelt speech

1 3.7

A sincere spoken message that shows deep feeling

Compounds

E

extreme unction

• Archaic

1 9.9

A ceremony in which a priest puts oil on a dying person and prays for them

How Insincere

smarm

• Informal

1 9.7

unction

• Archaic

1 9.9

flattery

37 4.7

sincerity

71 3.1

Surface Forms

Etymology