fritz

noun

: a state of disorder or disrepair
used in the phrase on the fritz
One day the Internet connection at the house goes on the fritz [=stops working properly], so I go with the laptop to a cafe and ask if it has wireless.Joel Achenbach

Examples of fritz in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web Dave Madore owns the arcade and jukeboxes inside the restaurant, where he was supposed to be Wednesday night to fix a jukebox that was on the fritz. Alexandra E. Petri, Los Angeles Times, 31 Oct. 2023 If your cell phone, for instance, landed on Venus, the thermal energy would set off a flurry of electrons and send your device on the fritz. Debbie G. Senesky, Scientific American, 17 Oct. 2023 When his helmet radio went on the fritz, the Bengals quarterback temporarily had to call the plays. Sam Farmer, Los Angeles Times, 22 Sep. 2023 With 21-year-old Lonnie Walker, 23-year-old Dejounte Murray, 26-year-old Derrick White and 24-year-old Jakob Poeltl buzzing alongside him like kids hopped up on too much Skittles and soda, DeRozan can’t help but feel like he is stuck in a time machine on the fritz. Jeff McDonald, ExpressNews.com, 4 Aug. 2020 Laundry can pile up even when your washer/dryer is working well, but things will get out of hand pretty quickly if either machine is on the fritz. Barbara Bellesi Zito, Better Homes & Gardens, 12 May 2023 Read the full Cancer Daily Horoscope Leo (July 23 - August 22) Intuition on the fritz? USA TODAY, 5 May 2023 No more worries about the air conditioner on the fritz or a flood from the non-stop running toilet. Bea Lewis, Sun Sentinel, 8 Sep. 2022 White Rice FotografiaBasica//Getty Images Low in fiber and high in simple carbohydrates, white rice is easy to digest—a major plus when your stomach is on the fritz, says Goldberg. Women's Health, 17 Apr. 2023 See More

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'fritz.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

origin unknown

First Known Use

1902, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of fritz was in 1902

Dictionary Entries Near fritz

Cite this Entry

“Fritz.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fritz. Accessed 10 Dec. 2023.

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
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