glitch

noun

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\ ˈglich

Definition of glitch

1a : a usually minor malfunction a glitch in a spacecraft's fuel cell also : bug entry 1 sense 2

b : a minor problem that causes a temporary setback : snag

2 : a false or spurious electronic signal

Other Words from glitch Did you know? More Example Sentences Learn More About glitch

Did you know?

There's a glitch in the etymology of glitch—the origins of the word are not known for sure, though it may derive from the Yiddish glitsh, meaning "slippery place." Glitch started showing up in print in English in the mid-20th century in reference to a brief unexpected surge of electrical current. The term was new enough in 1962 that the astronaut John Glenn, writing in the book Into Orbit, felt the need to explain the term to his readers: "Literally, a glitch is a spike or change in voltage in an electrical circuit which takes place when the circuit suddenly has a new load put on it." Today, you don't have to be an astronaut to be familiar with the word glitch, which can be used of any minor malfunction or snag.

Examples of glitch in a Sentence

Glitches in the speaker's schedule caused some delays. A technical glitch caused a temporary shutdown.

Recent Examples on the Web The glitch didn’t alter the information in consumers’ credit reports, the company said. — Andrew Ackerman, WSJ, 2 Aug. 2022 The billboard glitch will not affect the underlying campaign to keep attention focused on Ukraine, Rovsek says. — Diane Bellcolumnist, San Diego Union-Tribune, 15 July 2022 In the digital world, a glitch is a rapid-fire error loop. — BostonGlobe.com, 7 July 2022 Szczecina, in interviews following the incident, took full responsibility for the glitch. — Chris Morris, Fortune, 23 June 2022 Jump to 16:16 in this video to see the Akuma glitch in action. — Kyle Orland, Ars Technica, 21 June 2022 Fox 40 reported the glitch happened at a Shell gas station. — Asha C. Gilbert, USA TODAY, 15 June 2022 So, the glitch is not only fixed, but in order to make up for it, Bungie has just straight up doubled all XP rewards for the rest of the week, which will last until Tuesday at reset. — Paul Tassi, Forbes, 4 June 2022 Nobody suspected the glitch of fouling up the results. — Ryan Randazzo, The Arizona Republic, 18 Apr. 2022 See More

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'glitch.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.