glibber; glibbest
1
a
: said or done offhand and especially with inadequate attention or concern : said or done too easily or carelessly
gave glib answers to difficult questions
their glib assurances that "everything will be fine"
a rather glib dismissal of a serious issue …—
Sean Cowlishaw
Sean CowlishawThey can't be ignored or fobbed off with tired phrases and glib promises …—Christopher Moore
Christopher MooreThese are complex events. It would be glib to generalize.—Paul Wells
Paul Wells
b
: characterized by glib words or actions
a glib attitude
I don't mean to be glib.
c
: lacking depth and substance : superficial
glib solutions to knotty problems
a glib comedy
The show effectively whittles the Parisian lifestyle to a glib rotation of patisseries and soirees …—Raven Smith
Raven Smith
d
: marked by ease and informality : nonchalant
glib manners/charm
2
: marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful
a glib politician
glibly
adverb
glibness
noun
Examples of glib in a Sentence
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 Review, 3 June 2007
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
Some of the glibbest persons in the nation are oddly tongue-tied when the Bible is brought up.
—Garry Wills, Under God, 1990
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
Politicians need to do more than provide glib answers to difficult questions.
the actor's glib portrayal of a drug addict
Joe Queenan, New York Times Book Review, 3 June 2007
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
Some of the glibbest persons in the nation are oddly tongue-tied when the Bible is brought up.
—Garry Wills, Under God, 1990
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
Politicians need to do more than provide glib answers to difficult questions.
the actor's glib portrayal of a drug addict
Recent Examples on the Web
Some critics have interpreted the ending as a glib last-minute twist that threatens to neutralize the story’s potency and dismisses the seriousness of the movie’s premise.
—Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025
Widely received as a glib rebuttal to concerns about the rising cost of watching games, the commissioner’s quote will undoubtedly linger in the NBA discourse as a new season begins.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
As election strategies go, third time lucky might sound a bit glib.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
Amir Husain’s The Cybernetic Society: How Humans and Machines Will Shape the Future Together is dull, convoluted and written in the glib and ingratiating tones of a TED Talk.
—Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glib
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Shirley Li, The Atlantic, 22 Oct. 2025
Widely received as a glib rebuttal to concerns about the rising cost of watching games, the commissioner’s quote will undoubtedly linger in the NBA discourse as a new season begins.
—Bennett Durando, Denver Post, 26 Sep. 2025
As election strategies go, third time lucky might sound a bit glib.
—Charlie Campbell, Time, 15 Sep. 2025
Amir Husain’s The Cybernetic Society: How Humans and Machines Will Shape the Future Together is dull, convoluted and written in the glib and ingratiating tones of a TED Talk.
—Literary Hub, 4 Sep. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glib
Cite this Entry
“Glib.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glib. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
glib
adjective
glibber; glibbest
: speaking or spoken with careless ease and often with little regard for truth
a glib excuse
glibly
adverb
glibness
noun
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