technical hiccups

USAGE SUMMARY

"technical hiccups" is a correct and usable phrase in written English.
It is usually used to refer to minor problems, or glitches, caused by technical equipment or software. For example, "The presentation was going smoothly until a few technical hiccups caused it to slow down."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

13 human-written examples

Again, we apologize for the technical hiccups that may have wiped out some comments.

The New York Times

British Energy's share price plunged after a flurry of bad news about financial and technical hiccups.

The Economist

The filing highlights Nasdaq's missteps on listing day, effectively blaming the stock's early movements on the exchange's technical hiccups.

The New York Times

The Dark and Demon's Souls games - even Bloodborne, to an extent - suffered with some technical hiccups that could, sometimes, spoil the fun.

The Guardian - Tech

And about two in three parolees soon ended up back in jail, usually for technical hiccups, such as a missed meeting with a state parole officer.

The Economist

Throughout the recital Ms. Hedlund's technical hiccups — slips in intonation, patches of rough tone, unintentionally sounded strings — distracted, each ever so slightly, from the musical line.

The New York Times - Arts

Human-verified similar examples from authoritative sources

Similar Expressions

46 human-written examples

"[The technical hiccup] was less than ideal," a tired Nanjiani said at the end of a long night.

The Guardian - TV & Radio

Cruel predictions under my blog yesterday of a T5-like utter fiasco will, I trust, prove unfounded, but we have experienced a temporary technical hiccup with the makeover of Cif.

The Guardian - Opinion

Despite a technical hiccup that temporarily prevented some people from reserving tickets to the 9/11 Memorial when it opens to the public, 5,000 passes were distributed within the first hour after the ticket system opened at 9 this morning.

The New York Times

So they have focused their attention on a technical hiccup and tried to spin it as a symptom of systematic incompetency — if the Obama administration can't run a complicated Web site, it is incapable of managing a complicated policy.

The New York Times

After she calmly withstood a technical hiccup in the start of her music, and once she effortlessly landed a triple lutz-double toe combination seconds into her program, Nikodinov flowed through her routine with the grace of a veil falling through the air.

The New York Times - Sports

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

Use "technical hiccups" to describe minor, unexpected problems in a system or process, especially when downplaying their significance. For more serious issues, consider using phrases like "major malfunctions" or "critical failures".

Common error

Avoid using "technical hiccups" repeatedly in a single piece of writing. Vary your vocabulary by incorporating synonyms such as "minor technical issues" or "slight technical glitches" to maintain reader engagement.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "technical hiccups" functions as a noun phrase where "technical" is an adjective modifying the noun "hiccups". It refers to minor, temporary problems or disruptions in a technical process or system. As seen in Ludwig, it is used to downplay or normalize such issues.

Expression frequency: Common

Frequent in

News & Media

100%

Less common in

Science

0%

Formal & Business

0%

Encyclopedias

0%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

In summary, "technical hiccups" is a commonly used and grammatically correct phrase to describe minor technical problems. Ludwig AI analysis and examples show that its purpose is to describe and normalize these issues, often in a neutral or slightly informal tone, predominantly within News & Media. While it's a versatile phrase, avoid overusing it and consider synonyms like "minor technical issues" for variety. Ludwig indicates its widespread acceptance, making it a reliable choice for describing small technical difficulties.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

minor technical issues

This alternative focuses on the problematic aspect using a more general term "issues".

slight technical glitches

This phrase uses "glitches" emphasizing sudden, unexpected malfunctions.

small technical setbacks

Replaces "hiccups" with "setbacks", suggesting a temporary delay or impediment.

brief technical difficulties

Uses "difficulties", a more formal term for problems, and specifies them as "brief".

temporary technical faults

This alternative uses the word "faults", highlighting a defect or imperfection in the system.

minor technical snags

Replaces "hiccups" with "snags", indicating an unexpected obstacle or problem.

initial technical challenges

Focuses on the problem being "initial", or at the beginning phase.

teething problems

This is an idiomatic expression for early, minor problems with a new product or system.

technical bugs

This alternative is more specific, referring to errors in software or hardware.

system errors

Highlights a problem in system operations.

FAQs

How to use "technical hiccups" in a sentence?

You can use "technical hiccups" to describe minor technical difficulties that occur during a process or event. For example, "Despite a few "minor technical issues", the project was completed on time."

What can I say instead of "technical hiccups"?

Alternatives include "minor technical issues", "slight technical glitches", or "teething problems", depending on the context.

Is "technical hiccups" formal or informal?

"Technical hiccups" is generally considered neutral in tone and can be used in both professional and informal contexts. However, in highly formal settings, "minor technical difficulties" might be preferred.

Which is correct, "technical hiccup" or "technical hiccups"?

Both are correct, but "technical hiccups" is used when referring to multiple instances or a general situation. "Technical hiccup" is used when referring to a single isolated incident.