well-oiled
Americanadjective
Etymology
Origin of well-oiled
First recorded in 1730–40
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.
Construction began in March 2018, and Chun described the project as “a well-oiled machine” until the pandemic disrupted work and pushed the anticipated opening to 2023.
From Los Angeles Times ● Sep. 10, 2026
But after two test trips with a full-sized reproduction of the tapestry, the operation appeared a well-oiled machine.
From Barron's ● Jul. 10, 2026
To complete the picture, PSG's midfield of Vitinha, Fabian Ruiz and Joao Neves is the well-oiled engine room linking it all together.
From BBC ● May 6, 2026
“They’ve designed such a well-oiled machine,” Anastasio said.
From Salon ● May 2, 2026
Ifemelu sometimes sensed, underneath the well-oiled sequences of Kimberly s life, a flash of regret not only for things she longed for in the present but for things she had longed for in the past.
From "Americanah" by Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
