glib

glib

adjective \ˈglib\

glib·berglib·best

Definition of GLIB

1

a : marked by ease and informality : nonchalant

b : showing little forethought or preparation : offhand <glib answers>

c : lacking depth and substance : superficial <glib solutions to knotty problems>

2

archaic : smooth, slippery

3

: marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful <a glib politician>

— glib·ly adverb

— glib·ness noun

Examples of GLIB

1. Politicians need to do more than provide glib answers to difficult questions.
2. the actor's glib portrayal of a drug addict
3. Or they could have saddled us with “The Stranger,” which had the mitigating charm of being glib and pretentious and would thus have kept the kids who were obviously going to end up at Bard happy. —Joe Queenan, New York Times Book Review3 June 2007
4. The problem was that the candidate anticipated all the questions, knew all the answers and tended to pop out the reply the moment the question was asked; it made him seem like a smart aleck, too glib. —William Safire, New York Times Magazine, 16 June 1991
5. Some of the glibbest persons in the nation are oddly tongue-tied when the Bible is brought up. —Garry Wills, Under God, 1990
6. I expected a glib ladies' man, which he's not. He is an introspective man with deep emotions. —Loni Anderson, quoted in People Weekly, 6 Nov. 1989

Origin of GLIB

probably modification of Low German glibberig slippery

First Known Use: 1584

Rhymes with GLIB

bib, crib, drib, fib, gib, Hib, jib, lib, nib, rib, sib, squib