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Definition of fritz
: 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
One example is ustekinumab (Stelara), a common treatment for Crohn’s disease, which zaps the signals that immune cells send one another—an intervention akin to temporarily putting a military’s radio system on the fritz.
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Katherine J. Wu, The Atlantic, "Some People’s Bodies Aren’t Set Up for Vaccines," 15 Apr. 2021
But its most enchanting characteristic is its thumping bassline, which mimics the erratic qualities of a heart on the fritz.
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Billboard Staff, Billboard, "The 25 Best Dance Songs of 2020: Critic's Picks," 17 Dec. 2020
Basically, the best Cyber Monday tech deals of 2020 are a lot to take in, so start with our picks below, and get ready to bid farewell to your speaker that's on the fritz.
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Erin Parker, Glamour, "58 Best Cyber Monday Tech Deals of 2020," 30 Nov. 2020
Realizing your home’s heating system is on the fritz can quickly put a damper on the season.
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Kevin Brasler, Star Tribune, "It pays to do homework on HVAC maintenance in your Twin Cities home," 31 Oct. 2020
So adding nonfiction to the bedtime mix is a wonderful way to enhance a child’s understanding while regular schooling is on the fritz.
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Meghan Cox Gurdon, WSJ, "Children’s Books: Bedtime Lessons for the Zoomed-Out Kid," 11 Sep. 2020
Dealers pitch warranties using the worst-case scenario: The electronic system goes on the fritz and the bill will be three grand.
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cleveland, "Extended car warranties: When and how to say no," 21 Mar. 2020
Nearly 100 residents of an apartment building were displaced after the air conditioning went on the fritz in the extreme heat on Saturday afternoon, fire officials said.
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Rosemary Sobol, chicagotribune.com, "1 hurt, nearly 100 with special needs forced to evacuate after air conditioning goes out in Old Town apartment building," 20 July 2019
Lee's confusion causes the simulation to fritz, and we're treated to a neat aspect ratio shift as the world grows letterbox bars.
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Lee Hutchinson, Ars Technica, "Westworld S3, episode 2: Back in the game, breaking parks again," 22 Mar. 2020
See MoreThese example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'fritz.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
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Last Updated
24 Apr 2021
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Cite this Entry
“Fritz.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fritz. Accessed 8 May. 2021.
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Time Traveler for fritz
The first known use of fritz was in 1902
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