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)
Glacial
: 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 northern Washington park blends glacial rivers, turquoise lakes, and sawtooth peaks across its 684,000 acres.
—
Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
The cliffs formed at the end of the Ice Age thanks to glacial activity carving out the gorge.
—Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
New York is built over marshes and creeks and glacial moraines that announce themselves in a storm.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
He’s often frustrated by the glacial pace of government investigations.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glacial
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Stephanie Vermillion, Travel + Leisure, 11 Apr. 2026
The cliffs formed at the end of the Ice Age thanks to glacial activity carving out the gorge.
—Joie Probst, Midwest Living, 10 Apr. 2026
New York is built over marshes and creeks and glacial moraines that announce themselves in a storm.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
He’s often frustrated by the glacial pace of government investigations.
—Gary Baum, HollywoodReporter, 2 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glacial
Cite this Entry
“Glacial.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glacial. Accessed 14 Apr. 2026.
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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