1
: suggestive of ice: such as
a
: extremely cold : frigid
a glacial wind
b
: devoid of warmth and cordiality
a glacial handshake
c
: coldly imperturbable
maintained a glacial calm
2
: of a purity marked by the tendency to readily solidify in the form of ice-like crystals
glacial acetic acid
3
a(1)
: of, relating to, or being any of those parts of geologic time from Precambrian onward when a much larger portion of the earth was covered by glaciers than at present
(2)
capitalized
: pleistocene
b
: of, relating to, or produced by glaciers
c
: suggestive of the very slow movement of glaciers
progress on the bill has been glacial
Synonyms
Examples of glacial in a Sentence
Progress on the bill has been glacial.
a glacial weather front coming down from Canada will bring freezing temperatures this weekend
Recent Examples on the Web
Filippo Menczer Indiana University Collaborations with a tech giant also tend to move at a glacial pace.
—
Bykai Kupferschmidt, science.org, 31 Oct. 2024
Lonely Planet might have worked as a satire about writers, self-serious and irritating in their quirks, if the film had a sense of humor, but Grant’s screenplay moves at a glacial pace with the same events occurring over and over.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
Progress toward health coverage parity, in which mental health issues are covered in the same way as physical health issues, has been glacial, even as America's mental health crisis continues to soar.
—Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2024
The picturesque old Coast Guard station still sits atop the glacial bluffs, allowing for a spectacular view down upon the Nauset Spit barrier system and bay.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for glacial 
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Bykai Kupferschmidt, science.org, 31 Oct. 2024
Lonely Planet might have worked as a satire about writers, self-serious and irritating in their quirks, if the film had a sense of humor, but Grant’s screenplay moves at a glacial pace with the same events occurring over and over.
—Fran Hoepfner, Vulture, 17 Oct. 2024
Progress toward health coverage parity, in which mental health issues are covered in the same way as physical health issues, has been glacial, even as America's mental health crisis continues to soar.
—Natalie Eilbert, Journal Sentinel, 2 Oct. 2024
The picturesque old Coast Guard station still sits atop the glacial bluffs, allowing for a spectacular view down upon the Nauset Spit barrier system and bay.
—Stacey Leasca, Travel + Leisure, 1 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for glacial
Dictionary Entries Near glacial
Cite this Entry
“Glacial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glacial. Accessed 22 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
glacial
adjective
gla·cial
ˈglā-shəl 
1
a
: extremely cold : frigid
b
: lacking warmth of feeling
2
a
: of, relating to, or produced by glaciers
b
: of, relating to, or being any of those parts of geologic time when a large portion of the earth was covered by glaciers
c
capitalized
: pleistocene
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share