ISEE/SSAT Vocabulary BuilderWordsUunctuous
ISEE/SSAThard
unctuous
Meaning: excessively flattering or ingratiating; oily
unctuous in a sentence
How unctuous is used in real sentences:
The unctuous salesman made Henry uncomfortable.
The unctuous salesman made Henry uncomfortable.
“Meanwhile, the vendor's unctuous representative praised everyone's brilliance while pressing them to overlook the cropped data.”
— from the passage The Returning Hinge
“The prosecutor's unctuous compliments to Voss had irritated her, yet his documents appeared decisive.”
— from the passage The Weight of Fifteen Years
“Varen's minister, Seldo, met her with unctuous compliments about her wisdom, hoping to cajole her into accepting a temporary surcharge.”
— from the passage The Varen Customs Crisis
Also read it in: The Empty Chair
Synonyms for unctuous
Other words for unctuous — smarmy, slick and sycophantic — carry the same meaning.
- smarmy
- slick
- sycophantic
Antonyms of unctuous
Words that mean the opposite of unctuous:
Where it comes from
From Latin unctus 'anointed with oil'
Memory hook
UNCTUOUS = UNCOMfortably smooth and oily.