Glib means speaking smoothly and easily, but without much thought or sincerity behind the words. When someone gives a glib answer, they sound confident and polished, but their response is shallow or dismissive.

Imagine a student who forgot to study for a test. When the teacher asks why, instead of being honest, the student rattles off a smooth excuse they've used many times before. The words flow easily, but there's no real substance to them. That's being glib.

A politician might give glib responses to serious questions, sounding impressive while actually avoiding the real issues. A friend might offer glib reassurance like “everything will be fine” without really listening to your problem or thinking about what you're going through.

The word has a negative edge to it. Being articulate and confident is good, but being glib means sacrificing honesty and depth just to sound smooth. Someone who's glib cares more about how they sound than whether they're actually helping, telling the truth, or addressing what matters. When you hear someone described as glib, it's usually a criticism: they talk well, but their words are hollow.