The politician's unctuous smile failed to calm the restive crowd demanding real answers.
Source: tatoeba (13562105)
Unctuous
/ˈʌŋ(k)t͡ʃʊəs/
Synonyms for "unctuous" (132 found)
Ranked by relevance and common usage.
Closest matches (27)
adiposeadulatoryaffectedblandblandishingblarneyingblubberybutterybutyraceouscajolingcantingchrismalchrismatorycomplimentarycourtierlycourtlydisarmingfair spokenfair-spokenfalse
Show 1 more word
Adjective(2 words)
Verb(1 words)
Strong matches (39)
fattyfawningfine spokenfine-spokenflatteringfulsomeglibgoodygoody goodygoody-goodygooeygreasygushingholier-than-thouhoney-mouthedhoney-tonguedhoneyedhypocritichypocriticalingratiating
Adjective(3 words)
Verb(1 words)
Adjective(6 words)
Noun(1 words)
Related words (66)
Adjective(12 words)
Adjective(8 words)
Noun(1 words)
Choosing the right synonym
- Closest matches in this entry: oily, smarmy, adipose, adipose, adulatory.
- Sentence evidence is available for unctuous, so synonym choice can be checked against real usage rather than a flat word list.
- Ranking signals come from wordnet, opengloss, moby, wiktionary, and related lexical sources.
Synonym selection checklist
- Match the part of speech before comparing meanings.
- Check whether the synonym changes intensity, formality, or emotional tone.
- Read the replacement inside the full sentence, not just beside "unctuous".
- Prefer the clearest word over the most unusual word when writing for speed or comprehension.
When not to replace "unctuous"
Keep "unctuous" when the sentence already sounds natural, when a synonym would add unintended emphasis, or when readers need the most familiar wording. A synonym should clarify or sharpen the message, not simply make the sentence look more varied.
If two options seem close, choose the one that best matches the audience and purpose of the sentence.
Replacement workflow
1. Preserve meaning
Choose a synonym only if it keeps the core idea of "unctuous" intact in the sentence you are editing.
2. Tune tone
Check whether the replacement sounds more formal, casual, emotional, technical, or forceful than the original word.
3. Re-read context
Read the full sentence after the swap. Keep the synonym only when the sentence becomes clearer or more precise.
Review note: Synonym lists are ranked with lexical data and reviewed for practical writing value. Use the comparison notes, sentence evidence, and source labels together; a high-ranking synonym can still be wrong when the audience, register, or grammar changes.
Final fit check
After choosing a replacement for "unctuous", read the sentence once for meaning and once for rhythm. The best synonym should feel natural in the full sentence, not only accurate in a word list.
If the synonym makes the sentence slower, vaguer, or more dramatic than intended, keep "unctuous" or choose a simpler alternative from the closest-match group.
Related word relations
OpenGloss and ConceptNet supply richer edges like generalizations, collocations, and derivations.
More general
4 entriesMore specific
5 entriesgreasy coatingoily filmslick finishsmarmy behaviorsycophantic remarks
Collocations
5 entriesunctuous mannerunctuous praiseunctuous remarksunctuous smileunctuous tone
Inflections
2 entriesmore unctuousmost unctuous
Derivations
2 entriessimilar
1 entriesTranslations
27 translations across 16 languages.
Bulgarian
2 entries- мазен adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- угоднически adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Chinese
3 entries- 假空假榫 adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- 假空假死 adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- 假空假氣 /假空假气 adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Chinese Mandarin
2 entries- 假惺惺 adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- 惺惺 adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Czech
3 entries- slizký adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- vtíravý adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- úlisný adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Dutch
2 entries- vleierig adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- zalvend adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Finnish
3 entries- lipevä adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- liukas adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- mairea adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
French
3 entries- doucereux adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- mielleux adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
- patelin adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
German
1 entries- schmierig adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Ingrian
1 entries- lippiä adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Italian
1 entries- strisciante adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Japanese
1 entries- 慇懃無礼 adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Macedonian
1 entries- ли́гав adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Polish
1 entries- obłudny adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Portuguese
1 entries- melífluo adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Spanish
1 entries- untuoso adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Vietnamese
1 entries- ngọt xớt adj (of a person: profusely polite, especially in an insincerely earnest and unpleasant manner)
Sample sentences
28 total sentences available.
They resented how his unctuous flattery tended to obtrude into serious meetings.
Source: tatoeba (13562106)
His unctuous praise of the king was clearly meant to aggrandize his own position at court.
Source: tatoeba (13562108)
It is, of the one part, / A humide exhalation, vvhich vve call / Materia liquida, or the Vnctuous VVater; […]
Source: wiktionary
Showing 4 of 28 available sentences.
Common questions
What are the closest synonyms for "unctuous"?
Closest matches include oily, smarmy, adipose, adipose, adulatory.
How should I check whether a synonym fits "unctuous"?
Compare the replacement against real sentence context. This entry includes sample sentences so you can check tone, grammar, and meaning before swapping words.