glitch

American  

[glich] / glɪtʃ /

noun

• glitches
  plural

1. a defect or malfunction in a machine or plan.

2. Computers. any error, malfunction, or problem.

3. a brief or sudden interruption or surge in voltage in an electric circuit.

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verb (used with object)

1. to cause a glitch in.

   an accident that glitched our plans.

glitch British  

/ ɡlɪtʃ /

noun

1. a sudden instance of malfunctioning or irregularity in an electronic system

2. a change in the rotation rate of a pulsar

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Other Word Forms

Noun Inflected Forms

• glitches
  plural

Etymology

Origin of glitch

First recorded in 1960–65; perhaps from Yiddish glitsh “slippery area”; compare glitshn, German glitschen “to slip, slide”

Explanation

A glitch is a problem or malfunction, usually a temporary one, in a system or machine. Your science fair team might experience a major glitch in your plans if you lose your data tables as the result of a computer glitch. Glitch is a pretty new word, introduced in the 1960s when the science and technology of space flight was being developed. It originally meant a sudden surge of electrical current that caused a disturbance or malfunction. The word can also be used more broadly to describe any unexpected difficultly, like the glitch in your travel plans that resulted from airport delays.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

glitch glitches

At the center of the recurring glitch is Union Rescue Mission, a privately funded, faith-based organization that has provided shelter and services on Skid Row for 135 years.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 11, 2026

However, a technical glitch resulted in most of the images appearing blurry, making them look like a "dream", Beydoun said.

From Barron's ● Jul. 19, 2026

This, of course, is reminiscent of a similar glitch that nearly destroyed The Beef in “Review,” the critically acclaimed first-season oner that made the show a summertime must-watch.

From Salon ● Jun. 28, 2026

The most benign simply cause a program to do something unexpected—a glitch on the computer screen or maybe a crash.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 17, 2026

The human video game seemed to glitch in red streaks.

From "Look Both Ways" by Jason Reynolds

A simple Google search of this management software continues to show on-going issues due to outages, ransomware breaches, cyberattacks and tech glitches that caused global classes and exams to need rescheduling.

From Salon ● Aug. 24, 2026

The 48-hour purchasing windows were granted through random lottery, but even a guaranteed slot to purchase didn’t prevent headaches as the ticketing system was fraught with technical glitches and high website traffic.

From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 7, 2026

It says that computer glitches are suspected to be behind more than 24,000 cases of child support overcharging, resulting in £4.3m in inflated charges.

From BBC ● Jul. 25, 2026

Other less serious glitches, such as Waymos blocking roads, have contributed to rising tensions between man and machine.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 11, 2026

Ben’s image glitches, but his voice turns urgent.

From "The Last Cuentista" by Donna Barba Higuera

Related Words

• bug
• defect
• flaw
• hitch
• malfunction
• mishap
• problem
• setback
• snafu
• snag