glide path

noun

1
2
: a course of action that leads easily to an expected outcome
While Markey has been a fine member of Congress for decades, he isn't owed a glide path to another term.—Adrian Walker
… a state that invests more in locking up prisoners than in opening doors to education is on a glide path to mediocrity.—John Stobo
Elite law schools are not always a glide path to becoming a partner at a big law firm.—Elizabeth Olson

Examples of glide path in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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Republicans once saw a glide path to protecting their Senate majority, but Trump’s sagging economic approval and voter anxiety over war and prices have turned the midterm map into a toss-up. — Joey Cappelletti, Los Angeles Times, 8 Sep. 2026 What happens on the flight back from Vegas definitely doesn’t stay in Vegas, and an attendee of the cybersecurity conferences held there last week is now on a glide path to learning that the hard way. — Rob Pegoraro, PC Magazine, 12 Aug. 2026 That likely puts Blanche on a glide path to full Senate confirmation, probably later this week. — Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 3 Aug. 2026 Johnson highlighted that creating a clear glide path for these professionals is one of the fastest ways to solve executive talent shortages. — Julie Kratz, Forbes.com, 2 Aug. 2026 See All Example Sentences for glide path

Word History

First Known Use

1914, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of glide path was in 1914

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Cite this Entry

“Glide path.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glide%20path. Accessed 28 Sep. 2026.

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