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
Even up here, in this glacial valley, Nima is a celebrity.
—
Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The Huayhuash Circuit Often ranked as one of the world's most beautiful treks, the Huayhuash Circuit loops through the Cordillera Blanca, filled with jagged peaks, glacial lakes, and soaring mountain passes.
—Thomas Robinson, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
The melting of the Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau, Alaska, for instance, led to sudden glacial outbursts of water in recent years, causing devastating floods.
—Barbara Moran, NPR, 16 Dec. 2025
The prehistoric lake formed during the Pleistocene glacial period and was fed primarily by glacial meltwater from the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 11 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glacial
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Cecilia Vega, CBS News, 22 Dec. 2025
The Huayhuash Circuit Often ranked as one of the world's most beautiful treks, the Huayhuash Circuit loops through the Cordillera Blanca, filled with jagged peaks, glacial lakes, and soaring mountain passes.
—Thomas Robinson, Travel + Leisure, 22 Dec. 2025
The melting of the Mendenhall Glacier near Juneau, Alaska, for instance, led to sudden glacial outbursts of water in recent years, causing devastating floods.
—Barbara Moran, NPR, 16 Dec. 2025
The prehistoric lake formed during the Pleistocene glacial period and was fed primarily by glacial meltwater from the nearby Sierra Nevada mountain range.
—Madison Dapcevich, Outside, 11 Dec. 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 28 Dec. 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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