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 reason for this is due to the lack of glacial activity over the last several thousand years.
—
Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2025
If such a enormous volume of rock, soil and debris falls into a deep body of water, whether a glacial lake or the ocean, the result is a dangerous tsunami.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
The rugged, zigzagging massif is the result of the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates about 100 million years ago and later massive glacial activity in the Pleistocene epoch.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
But the glacial pace of the Child Victims Act cases has forced Walker, Holmes, and the other plaintiffs to wait years for possible justice.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glacial
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Brayden Garcia, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 3 Nov. 2025
If such a enormous volume of rock, soil and debris falls into a deep body of water, whether a glacial lake or the ocean, the result is a dangerous tsunami.
—Ella Nilsen, CNN Money, 22 Oct. 2025
The rugged, zigzagging massif is the result of the collision of the African and Eurasian tectonic plates about 100 million years ago and later massive glacial activity in the Pleistocene epoch.
—Literary Hub, 22 Oct. 2025
But the glacial pace of the Child Victims Act cases has forced Walker, Holmes, and the other plaintiffs to wait years for possible justice.
—Luke Cyphers, Sportico.com, 17 Oct. 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 10 Nov. 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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