: 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
Joel AchenbachExamples of fritz in a Sentence
Recent Examples on the Web
On the other hand, the conditions back then provided for one of racing’s iconic moments: Nigel Mansell, his gearbox on the fritz, getting out to push his car on the final lap.
—Kevin Sherrington
mar. 15, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
If your bowels seem to go on the fritz every time a wave of stress hits, that’s no coincidence.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Mar. 2026
The wildly popular TikTok app has been on the fritz for several days.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
The simplest justification for museum construction is structural necessity: ceilings blotch, plumbing and heating go on the fritz.
—Jackson Arn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fritz
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Kevin Sherrington
mar. 15, Dallas Morning News, 15 Mar. 2026
If your bowels seem to go on the fritz every time a wave of stress hits, that’s no coincidence.
—Erica Sloan, SELF, 13 Mar. 2026
The wildly popular TikTok app has been on the fritz for several days.
—Brian Stelter, CNN Money, 27 Jan. 2026
The simplest justification for museum construction is structural necessity: ceilings blotch, plumbing and heating go on the fritz.
—Jackson Arn, Harpers Magazine, 30 Dec. 2025
See All Example Sentences for fritz
Cite this Entry
“Fritz.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/fritz. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
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