Phrase guide

Glomar response

noun · 1 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot

Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.

Sound

Pronunciation

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1

noun

Meaning 1

A response by a US government agency (etc) that it can "neither confirm nor deny" the existence of (secret) information which has been asked for.

Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract

Examples

  • 1997, Ralph C. Nash, Leonard Rawicz, Intellectual Property in Government Contracts, George Washington University, Government Contracts Program This is a Glomar response, and exemption 6 must be cited in the response.

Meaning relationships

Synonyms: none provided

Antonyms: none provided

History

Etymology

So named because it was used in response to a request for records about the Glomar Explorer submarine-retrieval ship.