glitchy
glitchy — adjective
1. describes a piece of software, a device, or a system that keeps making small, te
describes a piece of software, a device, or a system that keeps making small, temporary mistakes or stopping for short periods instead of working smoothly
The video-streaming app was so glitchy that Wei switched to a different service.
glitchy + app (common noun pattern)
During the video call, the sound turned glitchy and kept cutting out every few seconds.
sound / connection + turned glitchy
Arjun returned the glitchy game console to the shop and asked for a full refund.
The airport check-in system became glitchy, so staff had to check passengers in by hand.
Even after the latest update, the camera software remained glitchy and would freeze without warning.
- buggy
more specific to software code that contains programming errors
- unstable
more formal; suggests the risk of complete failure, not just small faults
- unreliable
broader — can apply to people and machines, not just technology
文法句型
glitchy + noun (software, system, device)
用法筆記
Common in informal technology-related contexts. The noun glitch refers to each individual problem; glitchy describes the overall state of the device or software experiencing those glitches. Formal alternatives include unstable, unreliable, or faulty.
常見錯誤
glitchy — noun
1. a small, temporary problem in a machine, computer program, or system that stops
a small, temporary problem in a machine, computer program, or system that stops it from working correctly for a short time — for example, a phone screen freezing for a few seconds or a website showing wrong information for a few minutes
A software glitch caused the bank's website to show the wrong balance for several hours before the fix.
glitch in [noun]: the location of the glitch
The technician found a glitch in the engine control system and repaired it within an hour.
Minor glitches in the sound equipment delayed the concert by about fifteen minutes.
Nadia reported a glitch in the online exam platform that made some questions look blank.
Most of the pre-release glitches were fixed before the game went on sale in stores worldwide.
- bug
specifically a programming error in code; glitch is more general
- malfunction
more formal and implies a more serious failure
- snag
informal; can refer to any small problem, not just technical
文法句型
a + glitch
glitch in + noun
用法筆記
Glitch is the noun form; glitchy is the adjective. People use glitch more broadly than glitchy — a glitch can describe a problem in a plan or schedule too ('a glitch in the travel arrangements'), whereas glitchy is limited to technical contexts.
常見錯誤
2. an unwanted electrical signal that interferes with the correct operation of a ci
an unwanted electrical signal that interferes with the correct operation of a circuit, display screen, or data transmission — for example, a brief flash on a monitor that should not appear, or a sudden jump in a sensor reading
A glitch in the radar signal briefly showed a false aircraft on the control screen.
glitch in + signal (technical collocation)
Engineers traced the flickering display to a glitch in the video cable that connected the camera to the server.
The satellite transmission contained a glitch that corrupted a small section of the weather data.
Hassan designed an electronic filter to remove power-supply glitches from the audio recording equipment.
A single glitch in the control signal caused the robotic arm to jerk suddenly during the test run.
- artifact
technical term for unwanted visual or audio distortion, especially in digital media
- interference
external noise that affects a signal; broader than glitch
文法句型
a + glitch + in/to + electronic component
用法筆記
This technical sense is mostly used by engineers and technicians working with electronics, hardware, or signal processing. In everyday conversation, sense 1 (a minor malfunction) is far more common. The object of 'glitch in' here is always an electronic component or signal path.