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Unctuous for Dummies

adjective

pronunciation: 'əŋkʧuəs

What does Unctuous really mean?

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Hey there! So, you've heard this word "unctuous" and are wondering what it means? Well, no worries, I'm here to break it down for you in the simplest way possible.

First, let's picture ourselves in a kitchen. Imagine you're cooking up a delicious meal, and you add some oil or butter to your pan. Now, when the oil or butter is heated and starts to spread smoothly and easily across the surface of the pan, we can say it's "unctuous." It's like the oil or butter is slick, slippery, and really smooth to touch.

But when we say "unctuous" in a non-culinary context, we're referring to someone's behavior, especially their words, in a way that might remind us of that smooth and slippery oil or butter. Imagine someone saying things that sound really nice and friendly on the surface, but deep down, we can't help but feel like they're insincere, fake, or even trying to manipulate us. That's what "unctuous" means.

Let's try to relate this to a real-life situation. Have you ever met someone who's always trying to flatter you, saying things like "You're so amazing! I've never met anyone as talented as you!" but you couldn't shake off the feeling that they were just trying to get something from you? Well, that person can be described as "unctuous." They are using those smooth words to get what they want, and it feels dishonest and questionable.

So, to sum it up, "unctuous" means behaving in a way that seems overly friendly, flattering, or polite, but it comes across as insincere, fake, or manipulative. It's like someone trying to butter you up for their own benefit, just like how the oil or butter spreads so smoothly and easily in the pan. Remember, it's all about that smooth, slick, and slippery kind of behavior.

I hope that helps, and don't hesitate to ask if you have any more questions!


Revised and Fact checked by Nicole Thomas on 2023-10-29 21:48:03

Unctuous In a sentece

Learn how to use Unctuous inside a sentece

  • The waiter at the restaurant was unctuous, constantly complimenting the customers and trying to make them feel special.
  • The politician's unctuous speech was full of insincere promises and false claims.
  • The salesperson's unctuous behavior was off-putting, as they seemed too eager to sell their product and didn't genuinely care about the customer's needs.
  • The unctuous teacher always spoke in a smooth and slick manner, but students found it hard to trust their intentions.
  • The beauty blogger's unctuous review of the skincare product seemed suspicious, as it was overly positive and seemed more like an advertisement than an honest opinion.

Unctuous Synonyms

Words that can be interchanged for the original word in the same context.

buttery fulsome oily oleaginous smarmy soapy

Unctuous Similar Words

Words that similar to the original word, but are not synonyms.

insincere