oleaginous, smarmy and obsequious.

Question

HiWould you say that the words obsequious, oleaginous and smarmy carry the same meaning and are equally natural?She found the waiter's smarmy manners rather sickly.She found the waiter's obsequious manners rather sickly.She found the waiter's oleaginous manners rather sickly.Thanks,Tom

AlpheccaStars · Accepted Answer

I have used smarmy, unctuous, fawning, ingratiating and obsequious, but never oleaginous.

She found the waiter's smarmy manner rather sickening.

Mr. Tom · Answer

Thanks, Alphecca Stars.

Isn't sickly the same as sickening in this context? Or am I missing something?

sickly = so unpleasant that it makes you feel sick

Tom

AlpheccaStars · Answer

Mr. TomIsn't sickly the same as sickening in this context? Or am I missing something?

I have never used it that way.

The king's first son was a sickly boy. He died when he was 16.
Sickly = always tending to be sick, opposite of healthy.

Clive · Answer

Would you say that the words obsequious, oleaginous and smarmy carry the same meaning Yes, broadly speaking.

smarmy slangy, common in everyday spoken English

obsequious a bit more formal, but not uncommon in casual but educated English

oleaginous the least common of the three. Uncommon in speech. Marks the writer as well- educated.
'Oily' is a more common and everyday version of the word.

Clive

oleaginous, smarmy and obsequious.

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