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
George Yang, Rolling Stone, 18 Mar. 2025
This was the first time that the show was streamed live simultaneously on Hulu, which was not without its glitches.
—Lindsey Bahr, Chicago Tribune, 17 Mar. 2025
The Education Department said the glitch was prompted by problems with a vendor and unrelated to Tuesday's layoffs.
—Zachary Schermele, USA TODAY, 13 Mar. 2025
In today’s global economy companies are hardening their defenses against everything from cyber breaches to supply chain glitches and talent shortages.
—Renny Vandewege, Forbes, 12 Mar. 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 30 Mar. 2025.
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glitch
noun
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