glib
Americanadjective
-
readily fluent, often thoughtlessly, superficially, or insincerely so.
a glib talker; glib answers.
- Synonyms:
- smooth, facile, loquacious, talkative
-
easy or unconstrained, as actions or manners.
-
Archaic. agile; spry.
adjective
Related Words
See fluent.
Other Word Forms
Etymology
Origin of glib
First recorded in 1585–95; compare obsolete glibbery “slippery” (cognate with Dutch glibberig )
Explanation
A hiring manager might think you're being glib, or slick and insincere, if you say you've led a successful multinational corporation when you were actually in charge of flipping burgers for a fast-food restaurant chain. The word glib might be used to describe the slick car salesman who uses his polished sales pitch to talk his customers into buying lemons. In fact, the word comes from old German and Dutch words for "slippery," another word that could be used to describe the very same salesman. In addition to meaning "smooth" and "persuasive," glib can be applied to the kind of thoughtless comment that could get you into big trouble.
Vocabulary lists containing glib
The Vocabulary.com Top 1000
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100 Words to Make You Sound Smart
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Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
"It's very easy to put out glib soundbites - end leasehold - we've got a serious policy programme here," he added.
From BBC • Apr. 29, 2026
The former college quarterback is glib, quick on his feet and meticulously organized.
From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 24, 2026
So for his children not to show up in any way, and to be glib about his experience, is, well, a choice.
From MarketWatch • Jan. 22, 2026
Some on Wall Street view the wild swings of the past few days as proof that investors have grown too glib about trade risks.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 14, 2025
You can check if you’d like,’ and Sara thought I was being too glib, I suppose, because then she said she knew for a fact I’d hooked up with Alaska.
From "Looking for Alaska" by John Green
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
