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 story centres on a couple in the days before their anniversary celebrations, whose relationship is quietly upended when a letter arrives from Switzerland – connected to the decades-old discovery of a woman’s body preserved in glacial ice.
—
Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
After moving at a glacial pace—it’s been 20 years since the original 2006 film—the movie is having its world premiere on Monday evening, reintroducing a select group of New Yorkers to Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly, the chicly domineering editor in chief of Runway magazine.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 20 Apr. 2026
Formed by glacial activity, the fertile landscape along the Grand River—soil rich in a mix of silt, clay and sand—is ideal for vineyards.
—Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Progress, however, has been glacial.
—Kyle Stock, Bloomberg, 14 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glacial
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Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 21 Apr. 2026
After moving at a glacial pace—it’s been 20 years since the original 2006 film—the movie is having its world premiere on Monday evening, reintroducing a select group of New Yorkers to Meryl Streep’s Miranda Priestly, the chicly domineering editor in chief of Runway magazine.
—Savannah Walsh, Vanity Fair, 20 Apr. 2026
Formed by glacial activity, the fertile landscape along the Grand River—soil rich in a mix of silt, clay and sand—is ideal for vineyards.
—Julia Sayers Gokhale, Midwest Living, 16 Apr. 2026
Progress, however, has been glacial.
—Kyle Stock, Bloomberg, 14 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 28 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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