greasy

greasy — adjective

1. Having a slippery layer of grease on the surface, so that the object feels slick

1.adjectiveB1
Definition

Having a slippery layer of grease on the surface, so that the object feels slick when touched and marks anything it rubs against.

Example

The mechanic wiped his greasy hands on a rag before picking up his phone.

collocation: greasy hands

After fixing the bicycle chain, Minh noticed greasy marks on his new T-shirt.

Common collocations
  • greasy hands
  • greasy stain
  • greasy film
  • greasy marks
  • greasy surface
  • greasy residue
Synonyms
  • oily

    Common synonym, but 'oily' covers a wider range — it can describe natural oil (olive oil, skin oil) while 'greasy' leans toward heavy, dirty residue.

  • smeary

    Less common; emphasizes the messy marks left behind rather than the oil content itself.

  • slick

    Focuses on the slippery feel of the surface rather than the presence of grease.

Antonyms
  • clean

    Free of grease or dirt.

  • dry

    Without moisture or oil on the surface.

Grammar Patterns

greasy + noun

be/get greasy

Usage Note

Frequently modifies concrete nouns for objects that pick up oil through contact: hands, tools, engine parts, work surfaces. The oily residue is usually transferred from another source rather than being an inherent property of the object.

Common Mistakes

My hair feels greasy after using this shampoo
My hair feels oily after using this shampoo
'greasy' for hair or skin suggests unwashed dirt, while 'oily' is the neutral term for natural oil production.

2. Describing food that has been cooked in or contains a large amount of oil or fat

2.adjectiveB1
Definition

Describing food that has been cooked in or contains a large amount of oil or fat, so that it feels heavy and leaves a visible layer of oil behind.

Example

The diner served greasy fries that left oil spots on the paper plate.

greasy + food noun (fries, pizza, bacon, meal)

Hamza avoided greasy snacks before his evening run because they made him feel slow.

Common collocations
  • greasy food
  • greasy fries
  • greasy pizza
  • greasy meal
  • greasy snacks
  • greasy bacon
Synonyms
  • oily

    Broader and more neutral; can describe good oil (olive oil, fish oil) whereas 'greasy' almost always criticizes.

  • fatty

    More specific to animal fat rather than cooking oil; used for cuts of meat, not fried foods.

  • rich

    Positive alternative; describes indulgent, creamy, or buttery food without negative judgment.

Antonyms
  • light

    Describes food that is easy to digest and low in fat.

  • healthy

    Describes food that is good for you, opposite of greasy fried food.

Grammar Patterns

greasy + food noun

taste/be/look greasy

Usage Note

Carries a negative judgment about the amount of fat in food. Avoid using for high-quality olive oil or delicate vinaigrettes — use 'oily' instead. Not used for the natural oiliness of skin, hair, or manufactured products.

Common Mistakes

This salad dressing tastes greasy
This salad dressing tastes oily
'greasy' implies unpleasant heavy fat; lighter oil dressings take 'oily'.
Idioms

the greasy pole

idiom

This refers to the challenging path to success in a career or organization.

Maya climbed the greasy pole at her law firm in just five years.

Did Brian enjoy the struggle up the greasy pole in politics?

Word family

  • grease
    nounB1
  • greasily
    adverbC1
  • greasiness
    nounC1
  • degrease
    verbC1

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/2

Greasy, oily, fatty, and rich all describe food containing fat, but they differ in judgment and scope. Greasy is almost always negative — it suggests unpleasant, heavy food that leaves visible oil behind. Oily is more neutral: you might praise an oily fish like mackerel, but greasy fish sounds unappetizing. Fatty is more specific, referring to animal fat rather than cooking oil (fatty cuts of beef, fatty pork belly), while rich is the positive alternative — used for indulgent, creamy, or buttery food such as a rich chocolate mousse. Avoid describing high-quality olive oil or light dressings as greasy; use oily instead.

greasy ↗oily ↗fatty ↗rich ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

  • extremely greasy
  • terribly greasy
  • slightly greasy
  • a bit greasy

Phrases

  • look greasy
  • feel greasy
  • get greasy
  • leave a greasy mark

Prepositions

  • greasy with oil
  • greasy from cooking

Etymology

LatinOld FrenchEnglish

Greasy comes from the Old French word 'greisse' (modern French 'graisse'), meaning 'fat' or 'grease'. That word traces back to the Latin 'crassus', meaning 'thick, solid, or fat'. The English noun 'grease' first appeared in the 13th century, and by the 14th century the adjective 'greasy' was in use to describe things covered in fat or oil.