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
Cayla Bamberger, New York Daily News, 29 Apr. 2026
No hang-ups or glitches on Insta embeds.
—Joe Kinsey Outkick, FOXNews.com, 27 Apr. 2026
Each setback, from a phone glitch to unexpected responsibilities, adds to the pressure.
—Jason Phillips, USA Today, 27 Apr. 2026
Pigeons don't walk so much as glitch.
—Sharyn Alfonsi, CBS News, 26 Apr. 2026
See All Example Sentences for glitch
Cite this Entry
“Glitch.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/glitch. Accessed 5 May. 2026.
Copy CitationKids Definition
glitch
noun
