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
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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
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Recent Examples of glacial
Publicly, the prevailing perception is that the Mavericks’ efforts to build a new arena by 2031 are moving at glacial pace.
—
Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 25 Mar. 2026
Nathaniel Lowe While the winter seemed to move at a glacial pace at times, this wound up being an exceptionally active offseason for the Red Sox.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
The huge glacial lake, which also holds the title of the fifth deepest lake in America, covers nearly 150 square miles of the Idaho panhandle and reaches 1,158 feet at its lowest point.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 Mar. 2026
By the time glacial ice from the era receded and temperatures warmed enough for the ectotherms, Ireland had broken off from the European continent and was inaccessible to roaming reptiles.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glacial
Brad Townsend, Dallas Morning News, 25 Mar. 2026
Nathaniel Lowe While the winter seemed to move at a glacial pace at times, this wound up being an exceptionally active offseason for the Red Sox.
—Mac Cerullo, Boston Herald, 22 Mar. 2026
The huge glacial lake, which also holds the title of the fifth deepest lake in America, covers nearly 150 square miles of the Idaho panhandle and reaches 1,158 feet at its lowest point.
—Dac Collins, Outdoor Life, 18 Mar. 2026
By the time glacial ice from the era receded and temperatures warmed enough for the ectotherms, Ireland had broken off from the European continent and was inaccessible to roaming reptiles.
—K. R. Callaway, Scientific American, 17 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glacial
Recent Examples of Synonyms for glacial
Adjective
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Ladytron willed themselves into existence some 25 years ago, writing their names in the residue of icy-hot heroes like Kraftwerk, Soft Cell, and Gina X.—
Jesse Dorris,
Pitchfork,
2 Apr. 2026
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This matter is the result of gases emitted by the Saturnian moons, particularly Enceladus, which is known to spray out icy plumes that originate from its subsurface ocean.—
Robert Lea,
Space.com,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The collision underscores the growing battle in the frigid waters of the Southern Ocean over the future of Antarctic krill, a shrimplike crustacean central to the diet of whales and critical buffer to global warming that's also in demand for use in health supplements, fishmeal and other products.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
1 Apr. 2026
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Arizona might be warmer this time of year, but Chicago Cubs starter Jameson Taillon was happy to be dealing in frigid Wrigley Field on Tuesday night.—
Jeff Vorva,
Chicago Tribune,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
The compressor handles the energy-intensive freezing step during peak solar hours, when panels would otherwise throttle back or dump excess power.—
Munis Raza,
Interesting Engineering,
24 Mar. 2026
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Carrying his skimboard, which is like a cross between a boogie board and a surfboard, the University of South Florida freshman waited for the right moment to run into the waves, try some tricks and fall in the freezing water.—
Amanda Rosa,
Miami Herald,
21 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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Cover loosely with plastic wrap and chill until filling is set and cake is cold, at least 2 hours and up to 1 day.—
Shilpa Uskokovic,
Bon Appetit Magazine,
1 Apr. 2026
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Baristas sprinkled shredded phyllo dough over top heaps of cold foam.—
Jenna Thompson
April 1,
Kansas City Star,
1 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
Some parts of the nation are in for a chilly few days, but soon nearly everywhere will feel like spring — or summer.—
Doyle Rice,
USA Today,
4 Apr. 2026
-
Hours later, those fans sat bundled up in rainy, chilly conditions as a power outage hit parts of downtown Minneapolis, affecting Target Field.—
Betsy Helfand,
Twin Cities,
3 Apr. 2026
Adjective
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The bulk of the queue is in one room, completely back-and-forth, stanchion-style, with only static photos of arctic animals to distract.—
Dewayne Bevil,
The Orlando Sentinel,
26 Mar. 2026
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Earth's magnetic field funnels charged particles from the sun towards the poles, making arctic locations like Norway's Andøya Spaceport prime locations for viewing the northern lights.—
Brett Tingley,
Space.com,
25 Mar. 2026
Adjective
-
An airport spokesperson told Pulse Tasmania that the uninvited guest was remarkably chill about the whole situation.—
Ryan Brennan,
Charlotte Observer,
24 Mar. 2026
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Ellie, who has become notorious in the franchise for being explosive, if also hard-working, had been surprisingly chill this season, especially given Ben’s … idiosyncratic way of speaking to women.—
Rafaela Bassili,
Vulture,
24 Mar. 2026
Adjective
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But Bouanga’s cool streak took all of nine minutes to crush.—
Josh Gross,
Daily News,
5 Apr. 2026
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The weather service added that cooler temperatures under 32 degrees can still be expected up until Friday, May 1.—
McClatchy,
Idaho Statesman,
5 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Glacial.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/glacial. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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