lubricate
Americanverb (used with object)
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lubricates,
present (3rd person singular)
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lubricated,
past participle, past
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lubricating
present participle
-
to apply some oily or greasy substance to (a machine, parts of a mechanism, etc.) in order to diminish friction; oil or grease (something).
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to make slippery or smooth; apply a lubricant to.
to lubricate one's hands with a lotion.
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to smooth over, as a difficulty or human relationship; ease.
to lubricate the friction between enemies.
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Slang. to provide with intoxicating drinks.
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Slang. to bribe.
verb (used without object)
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lubricates,
present (3rd person singular)
-
lubricated,
past participle, past
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lubricating
present participle
-
to act as a lubricant.
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to apply a lubricant to something.
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Slang. to drink or become drunk.
verb
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(tr) to cover or treat with an oily or greasy substance so as to lessen friction
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(tr) to make greasy, slippery, or smooth
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(intr) to act as a lubricant
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
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lubricationnoun
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overlubricationnoun
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relubricationnoun
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self-lubricationnoun
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overlubricateverb (used with object)
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relubricateverb (used with object)
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lubricationaladjective
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lubricativeadjective
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lubricatoryadjective
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nonlubricatingadjective
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self-lubricatedadjective
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self-lubricatingadjective
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unlubricatedadjective
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unlubricatingadjective
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unlubricativeadjective
Inflected Forms
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
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lubricatesimple
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lubricatessimple
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have lubricatedperfect
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has lubricatedperfect
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am lubricatingprogressive
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are lubricatingprogressive
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is lubricatingprogressive
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have been lubricatingperfect progressive
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has been lubricatingperfect progressive
Past
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lubricatedsimple
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had lubricatedperfect
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was lubricatingprogressive
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were lubricatingprogressive
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had been lubricatingperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of lubricate
First recorded in 1615–25; from Latin lūbricātus, past participle of lūbricāre “to make slippery.” See lubric, -ate 1
Explanation
When you lubricate something, you make it a little bit greasy so it can easily move or slide. You might need to lubricate a rusted bolt in order to unscrew it, for example. Mechanics who work on cars need to lubricate engine parts all the time, to remove old ones and attach new ones. Oil is commonly used to lubricate metal surfaces so they don't stick against each other. All different kinds of machines and engines — from jumbo jets to sewing machines — need to be lubricated in order to work properly. The Latin root word is lubricatus, "to make slippery or smooth," from lubricus, or "slippery."
Vocabulary lists containing lubricate
The Cay
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"Modern Automotive Technology," Vocabulary from Section 6
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Elephant Run
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
See Examples For:
These cells produce substances that lubricate joints, helping protect them and allowing them to move smoothly.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 5, 2026
It will be his third bullpen since receiving an Orthovisc injection in his left knee at the beginning of the All-Star break to lubricate the joint, but his second since restarting his throwing program.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 18, 2026
Drilling fluid is a liquid used to cool and lubricate equipment during drilling.
From Barron's ● Jan. 6, 2026
These days, of course, pesky things like WhatsApp rather lubricate the friction of distance of folk being in different places.
From BBC ● Mar. 21, 2024
These pairs pop out of the text at us, and when they belong to the same phrase they can lubricate the parsing process, allowing the words to be joined up quickly.
From "The Sense of Style" by Steven Pinker
One key defense against this process: a network of de-watering wells, which pump out the water that lubricates the soil’s clay layers.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 24, 2025
Butter also lubricates your mouth, which tends to compliment the dish's natural astringency.
From Salon ● Nov. 25, 2024
The fluid lubricates faults, resulting in slow slips that produce small earthquakes.
From Science Magazine ● Jan. 8, 2024
Most of it is absorbed by our cells; the rest lubricates muscles and tissues and generates saliva.
From National Geographic ● Sep. 14, 2023
Whatever it is that lubricates joints I think must be in low supply now, because every moving part aches.
From "Dry" by Neal Shusterman and Jarrod Shusterman
Instead, deep beneath the swells and swales of aluminum and carbon fiber, is the full send, the real deal: a naturally aspirated, dry-sump lubricated, 6.5-liter V12.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Apr. 18, 2026
This slippery coating is essential for keeping the colon lubricated and stool soft.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 19, 2026
Armies of commentators, reporters and photographers were hauled off to the 49th state expecting a vintage Trump performance, of the sort that has lubricated their industry for an entire decade.
From Salon ● Aug. 17, 2025
“Water projects came to epitomize the pork barrel; they were the oil can that lubricated the nation’s legislative machinery.”
From Slate ● Aug. 28, 2024
They’ve fed her oils, repainted her barrel, lubricated her wheels; they’ve arranged sandbags at her feet like offerings.
From "All the Light We Cannot See" by Anthony Doerr
Ohtani reported soreness Wednesday night in his left knee, which he treated over the All-Star break with a lubricating orthovisc injection and rest.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jul. 31, 2026
Nothing was felt at the surface, and Giardini stressed that by lubricating an existing fault, the team was adding only "about one percent of what is the natural risk".
From Barron's ● May 11, 2026
"After lubricating the outer walls of the drain eventually we could get the hedgehog out."
From BBC ● Apr. 29, 2026
The lubricating coating used in the study is based on lipid bilayers, structures commonly found in the membranes of living cells.
From Science Daily ● Mar. 9, 2026
We spent weeks at the huge Shell Haven Refinery with a special instructor who taught us all about fuel oil and diesel oil and gas oil and lubricating oil and kerosene and gasoline.
From "Boy: Tales of a Childhood" by Roald Dahl
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
