glib

American  

[glib] / glɪb /

adjective

glibber, glibbest

1. readily fluent, often thoughtlessly, superficially, or insincerely so.

   a glib talker; glib answers.

   Synonyms:

   smooth, facile, loquacious, talkative

2. easy or unconstrained, as actions or manners.

3. Archaic. agile; spry.

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glib British  

/ ɡlɪb /

adjective

1. fluent and easy, often in an insincere or deceptive way

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Related Words

See fluent.

Other Word Forms

• glibly adverb
• glibness noun
• unglib adjective

Etymology

Origin of glib

First recorded in 1585–95; compare obsolete glibbery “slippery” (cognate with Dutch glibberig )

Example Sentences

I don’t mean to sound trite or wilfully glib, but it’s merely the truth that every ending is followed by a beginning.

From Salon

When his “political enemy,” the glib and popular Alcibiades, sways the assembly, Nicias replies that this means sending both a fleet and “large numbers of land forces.”

From The Wall Street Journal

When these got, it’s simple, it’s very painful, so I’m not being glib.

From Literature

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

“Southern Man”? It’s probably a little glib to declare it a song about reparations, but it’s also not an incorrect observation.

From Salon

Related Words

• artful
• articulate
• eloquent
• facile
• loquacious
• talkative