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
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
The end of July is nigh in a summer that has at once flown by and felt curiously glacial.
—
Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 29 July 2025
In its recognition, the UNESCO executive board cited Paektu’s volcanic legacy, valleys shaped by glacial erosion, and rocky plains as part of its global significance.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
This one-bedroom A-frame faces the glacial expanses of the Úlfljótsvatn Lake, whose waters are best appreciated before the blaze of fireplace or from the heated pool just outside your doorstep.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 25 July 2025
As diplomats and officials prepare to travel to Belém and spend two weeks arguing over climate, making, as is typical of COPs, progress at glacial speed, other nations must show how to get things done now.
—Juan Carlos Navarro, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for glacial
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Gabrielle Bellot, Literary Hub, 29 July 2025
In its recognition, the UNESCO executive board cited Paektu’s volcanic legacy, valleys shaped by glacial erosion, and rocky plains as part of its global significance.
—Will Ripley, CNN Money, 28 July 2025
This one-bedroom A-frame faces the glacial expanses of the Úlfljótsvatn Lake, whose waters are best appreciated before the blaze of fireplace or from the heated pool just outside your doorstep.
—Erika Owen, Architectural Digest, 25 July 2025
As diplomats and officials prepare to travel to Belém and spend two weeks arguing over climate, making, as is typical of COPs, progress at glacial speed, other nations must show how to get things done now.
—Juan Carlos Navarro, MSNBC Newsweek, 25 July 2025
See All Example Sentences for glacial
Cite this Entry
“Glacial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glacial. Accessed 4 Aug. 2025.
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
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