What does "glitch" mean?
A problem affecting function.
Glitch
/ɡlɪt͡ʃ/ noun, verb, slang
noun, verb, slang ·Common ·High school level
Meaning at a glance
- Primary sense: A problem affecting function.
- Grammar: glitch is listed as noun, verb, slang.
- Nearest alternatives: bug, aflicker, anomaly, audio artifact.
- Useful contrasts: correct behavior, function smoothly, normal operation.
- Usage evidence: He is raising a big stink over a minor glitch.
How to use "glitch"
- Start with the primary definition, then check the part of speech before placing the word in a sentence.
- Compare nearby synonyms to make sure "glitch" carries the exact meaning, tone, and strength you need.
- Use the example sentence as a context check. If your sentence uses the word differently, confirm that the grammar still fits.
Meaning check
- Does the word fit the sentence's grammar?
- Does it match the intended tone rather than only the dictionary definition?
- Would a simpler synonym be clearer for the reader?
- Is there enough surrounding context to prevent ambiguity?
Source and review context
This entry combines structured lexical data with WordToolSet review checks. Definitions, examples, synonyms, and usage notes may come from different source tables, so the page is designed to show evidence from more than one angle before you rely on "glitch" in a final draft.
If a word has several senses, prefer the sense that matches your sentence's grammar and surrounding context. A correct definition can still be the wrong choice when the sentence needs a different register, emphasis, or level of specificity.
Before you rely on this definition
Read the first definition as a starting point, then check the example, synonyms, and part of speech before treating "glitch" as the right word for your sentence.
If your draft is formal, technical, persuasive, or sensitive, compare "glitch" with a nearby alternative so the final choice matches both meaning and reader expectation.
Compare nearby meanings
- Use synonyms when you need a softer, stronger, simpler, or more specific word.
- Use antonyms to check the boundary of the meaning and avoid accidental contrast.
- Use the example sentence to confirm the word behaves naturally in context.
- Keep the original wording when a replacement adds complexity without improving precision.
Definition decision workflow
1. Identify the role
Check whether "glitch" is acting as noun, verb, slang in your sentence. A definition is only useful when the grammar matches the way the word is being used.
2. Test the nearest option
Compare it with "bug" and other nearby choices to see whether the sentence needs a softer, stronger, or more familiar word.
3. Confirm with context
Use the example sentence below as an evidence check, then read your own sentence out loud to catch tone or rhythm problems.
Review note: Definition pages are checked for source coverage, sentence evidence, synonym support, and editorial insight before they are treated as approval-ready pages. If the evidence is too thin, the page remains available to users but is kept out of the approval-facing indexed inventory.
Final meaning check
Before publishing a sentence with "glitch", ask whether the word helps the reader understand the idea faster. A precise word should reduce confusion, not simply make the sentence look more polished.
When the definition, synonym evidence, and example context point in the same direction, the word is usually a safer choice. When they conflict, revise the sentence or choose a clearer alternative.
Definitions
Noun
- 1 A problem affecting function. countable
"They are still trying to work out all the glitches."
- 2 a fault or defect in a computer program, system, or machine wordnet
- 3 An unexpected behavior in an electrical signal, especially if the signal spontaneously returns to expected behavior after a period of time. countable, informal
"Another term we adopted to describe some of our problems was "glitch." 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. You have probably noticed a dimming of lights in your home when you turn a switch or start the dryer or the television set."
- 4 A bug or an exploit. countable, uncountable
"Performing this glitch gives you extra lives."
- 5 A genre of experimental electronic music since the 1990s, characterized by a deliberate use of sonic artifacts that would normally be viewed as unwanted noise. uncountable
"You can hear this in the contemporary genre of ‘glitch’, where artists like Oval and Fennesz make radically beautiful music using the snaps, crackles and pops emitted by damaged CDs, malfunctioning software, etc."
Show 1 more definition
- 6 A sudden increase in the rotational frequency of a pulsar. countable
Verb
- 1 To experience an unexpected, typically intermittent malfunction. especially, intransitive
"My computer keeps glitching; every couple of hours it just reboots without warning."
- 2 To suffer a minor malfunction wordnet
- 3 To perform an exploit or recreate a bug while playing a video game. intransitive
"His character will glitch into the wall and out of the level."
Antonyms
correct behaviorfunction smoothlynormal operationproper functioning
Example
"He is raising a big stink over a minor glitch."
Common questions
What is a synonym for "glitch"?
Common synonyms include: bug, aflicker, anomaly, audio artifact, blip, blips.
How do you use "glitch" in a sentence?
He is raising a big stink over a minor glitch.
How do you pronounce "glitch"?
Pronounced /ɡlɪt͡ʃ/.
Etymology
Probably from Yiddish גליטש (glitsh), from German glitschig (“slippy”), from glitschen (“to slide, glide, slip”) + -ig (“-y”). Related to gleiten (“glide”). Cognate with French glisser (“to slip, slide, skid”). Popularized in the 1960s, by the US space program. Attested in 1962 by American astronaut John Glenn, in reference to spikes in electrical current.