glib

adjective

ˈglib 

glibber; glibbest

1

a

: showing little forethought or preparation : offhand

glib answers

b

: marked by ease and informality : nonchalant

c

: lacking depth and substance : superficial

glib solutions to knotty problems

2

: marked by ease and fluency in speaking or writing often to the point of being insincere or deceitful

a glib politician

3

archaic : smooth, slippery

glibly adverb

glibness noun

Examples of glib in a Sentence

Or they could have saddled us with "The Stranger," which had the mitigating charm of being glib and pretentious and would thus have kept the kids who were obviously going to end up at Bard happy. —Joe Queenan, New York Times Book Review, 3 June 2007

The problem was that the candidate anticipated all the questions, knew all the answers and tended to pop out the reply the moment the question was asked; it made him seem like a smart aleck, too glib. —William Safire, New York Times Magazine, 16 June 1991

Some of the glibbest persons in the nation are oddly tongue-tied when the Bible is brought up. —Garry Wills, Under God, 1990

I expected a glib ladies' man, which he's not. He is an introspective man with deep emotions. —Loni Anderson, quoted in People Weekly, 6 Nov. 1989

Politicians need to do more than provide glib answers to difficult questions.

the actor's glib portrayal of a drug addict

Recent Examples on the Web

Plenty of classical musicians have the kind of technical virtuosity that’s simultaneously impressive and glib; expressive virtuosity like Dueñas’s, the ability to guide a piece through a complex emotional landscape without losing narrative coherence — that is infinitely rarer. —Justin Davidson, Vulture, 23 Oct. 2024

By turns funny, dark, and inspirational in a way that feels hard-earned and genuine rather than glib or saccharine, Alone is a show about seizing the moment that could only have come from Rothwell’s scrupulous examination of her own life. —Judy Berman, TIME, 10 Sep. 2024

As Rhaenyra understands, that would be too easy, too glib. —Judy Berman, TIME, 5 Aug. 2024

That’s a little glib, but Dorit caring so deeply about her designer plane pajamas is shallow. —Brian Moylan, Vulture, 17 Jan. 2024

Word History

Etymology

probably modification of Low German glibberig slippery

First Known Use

1584, in the meaning defined at sense 1b

Kids Definition

glib

adjective

ˈglib 

glibber; glibbest

: speaking or spoken with careless ease and often with little regard for truth

a glib excuse

glibly adverb

glibness noun