1
as in icy
having a low or subnormal temperature
a glacial weather front coming down from Canada will bring freezing temperatures this weekend
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
2
as in frigid
lacking in friendliness or warmth of feeling
her glacial manner discouraged him from attempting further conversation
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of glacial
For millennia, glacial ice and freezing temperatures protected Ötzi’s body — and microbes — from degradation and decay.
—
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
The clamor to protect nature has grown sharper as India sees a rise in heatwaves, glacial floods and extreme rainfall in recent years.
—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
7 June 2026
Hypotheses have ranged from human transport by land and sea to glacial transport—with the glacial theory having generated the most buzz.
—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
And unlike Ötzi’s long-dead gut bacteria, which left just broken, aging fragments of DNA behind, the yeasts seem to be alive and reproducing (albeit at, ahem, a glacial pace).
—
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for glacial
Mindy Weisberger,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
The clamor to protect nature has grown sharper as India sees a rise in heatwaves, glacial floods and extreme rainfall in recent years.
—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
7 June 2026
Hypotheses have ranged from human transport by land and sea to glacial transport—with the glacial theory having generated the most buzz.
—
Maria Mocerino,
Interesting Engineering,
6 June 2026
And unlike Ötzi’s long-dead gut bacteria, which left just broken, aging fragments of DNA behind, the yeasts seem to be alive and reproducing (albeit at, ahem, a glacial pace).
—
ArsTechnica,
6 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for glacial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for glacial
Adjective
-
Their journey spans icy fjords, Byzantine intrigue, and the fabled Silk Road, blending Viking grit with ancient Chinese wisdom, unexpected alliances, and a touch of magic.
-
Through icy landscapes, courage and friendship are tested – and the children discover that the true magic of Christmas comes from togetherness.
Adjective
-
That frigid January night, as police spent hours picking up pieces of her teeth and face off of the highway, there was no clear path forward in sight.
-
Snow, wind and frigid temperatures could combine to increase demand beyond what the state’s utilities can supply.
Adjective
-
Richard claimed she was locked alone in the freezing car for two hours, unable to leave the vehicle because there were no interior door handles.
-
Ensure that your freezer is set to the coldest setting before starting the flash-freezing process.
Adjective
-
To prevent that, some operators maintain low oil flow rates, akin to dripping a faucet in freezing cold weather to avoid frozen pipes.
-
Aging And The Long Game Of Leadership The conversation around aging often centers on biohackers seeking to lower their biological age through cold plunges, red light therapy, and peptides.
Adjective
-
Being able to switch on the heat when things got chilly in the middle of the night was one of our favorite features on the ID.
-
Various paths to the sea allow guests to move between the warmth of the saunas and paljus, to the chilly waters of the Baltic Sea.
Adjective
-
The aching cold of that sub-arctic river was taking the horse’s strength.
-
Havoc-type arctic chill beats for Wiki.
Adjective
-
The 25, also non-chill filtered, is bottled at 47 percent ABV (94 proof), and that higher proof goes a long way to unlocking the flavor here.
-
It was bottled at 43% ABV and is non-chill filtered.
Adjective
-
Parade organizers have warned attendees to take steps to stay cool, as temperatures on Sunday will feel like the 90s.
-
This guest even slipped on some socks for some extra cool girl points.
Cite this Entry
“Glacial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glacial. Accessed 29 Jun. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
