Did you know?
There's a glitch in the etymology of glitch—it may come from the Yiddish glitsh, meaning "slippery place," but that's not certain. Print use of glitch referring to a brief unexpected surge of electrical current dates to the mid-20th century. Astronaut John Glenn, in his 1962 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, the word can be used of any minor malfunction or snag. If you’re a gamer you might even take advantage of a glitch that causes something unexpected, and sometimes beneficial, to happen in the game.
Examples of glitch in a Sentence
Toria Sheffield, People.com, 20 Apr. 2025
There was only one small a little glitch in the proceedings.
—Gloria Casas, Chicago Tribune, 18 Apr. 2025
And even worse, having only three of the four East River tubes working will create a total meltdown when there is a normal glitch with equipment or signals or tracks.
—New York Daily News Editorial Board, New York Daily News, 18 Apr. 2025
Naturally, the tech glitches and threatens to trap her forever — but that arbitrary twist leads to more time with Rae and Emma Corrin as Clara/Dorothy, whose connection makes the episode soar.
—Steve Greene, IndieWire, 12 Apr. 2025
See All Example Sentences for glitch
Cite this Entry
“Glitch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glitch. Accessed 3 May. 2025.
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glitch
noun
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