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
Miles Klee, Rolling Stone, 8 July 2025
The spokesperson's description of that loophole matches that of the citizenship tracking glitch.
—Sasha Hupka, AZCentral.com, 3 July 2025
Additionally, keep in mind that today’s audiences expect high-quality video and audio with minimal glitches and interactive opportunities to connect with speakers and other participants.
—Michele Dobnikar, Forbes.com, 1 July 2025
On May 9, the NHTSA said Ford was recalling over 1 million Ford and Lincoln vehicles due to a software glitch with the rearview camera.
—Aimee Picchi, CBS News, 23 June 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 19 Jul. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
glitch
noun
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