mal·func·tion
ˌmal-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən 
malfunctioned; malfunctioning; malfunctions
: to function imperfectly or badly : fail to operate normally
plural malfunctions
: a failure to operate or function in the normal or correct manner : the action or an instance of malfunctioning
a hardware/equipment malfunction
Once thought to be a disease itself dropsy is now known to be a sign of several kinds of body malfunction, especially congestive heart failure and kidney disease.—
C. Clairborne Ray
C. Clairborne RayIn schizophrenia this filtering system malfunctions or short-circuits. This malfunction causes people to misevaluate what they see, hear, and experience in their environment.—Richard Crino
Richard Crino
Did you know?
A malfunctioning switch might keep us from turning on a light. A malfunctioning heart valve might require replacement with an artificial valve, and if your immune system malfunctions it may start to attack healthy cells. And a malfunction in a voting machine could result in hundreds of votes being miscounted.
Examples of malfunction in a Sentence
Verb
A software problem is causing the system to malfunction.
Recent Examples on the WebBeth Warren, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
In 2018, a technician onboard a vessel managed by Synergy was killed when a personnel elevator malfunctioned, according to authorities in Australia, where the vessel was registered.
—Joyce Sohyun Lee, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Since the animatronic shark frequently malfunctioned on set, Jaws was forced to merely suggest the creature’s foreboding presence with ominous first-person camerawork instead of showing the killer up close.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
The programs had to be transferred to paper tapes, which had to be run through this very old computer that often malfunctioned and ripped your paper in half.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Then, the shot clock malfunctioned and after several attempts to restart the game and fix the clock, referees eventually determined that the arena PA announcer would announce the time left on the clock at five second intervals in real time.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
By George Ramsay | CNN Major League Baseball players have been faced with an unusual problem ahead of the new season: a malfunctioning wardrobe.
—Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024
Midway through the episode, there’s a scene in which Janine and Gregory meet in a bathroom and contend with a malfunctioning toilet.
—Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Lemon pressed Musk on his comments, noting that the pilot on the Alaska Airlines flight that saw a high-profile door plug blowout in January was a woman who landed the malfunctioning plane safely — and that Boeing has taken responsibility for the incident.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024
Júlia Ledur, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
In the wake of 2020, bogus claims that the elections were stolen focused on ballot stuffing, mail-in ballots, and election machine malfunctions; but in 2024 and at the CSPOA conference on Wednesday, the focus for most of these speakers was on the border.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 18 Apr. 2024
On Saturday, Grimes lived what is probably the nightmare of every Coachella performer: debilitating equipment malfunctions in front of thousands of fans and possibly millions watching online.
—Variety, NBC News, 15 Apr. 2024
The singer-songwriter struggled with equipment malfunctions throughout her show on Saturday, with problems plaguing the programming of her tracks at the mixing desk that left her screaming into the microphone throughout the second half of her set.
—Zoe G Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Apr. 2024
When faced with an impending crisis due to a fatal malfunction in older vehicles, GM appointed Mary Barra, a longtime insider, to the top job.
—Corinne Post, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Boeing’s ongoing plane malfunctions have been making people uneasy—from regulators to customers to the flying public.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2024
The malfunction only affected a small portion of orders, and impacted customers have not been charged.
—Eva Rothenberg, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Jackson County’s assessment, collections and recorder of deeds offices were closed Tuesday morning due to computer malfunctions, which the county said was possibly attributable to some form of cyber attack.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2024
Verb
Investigators also believe when guns malfunctioned in Mexico, the cartel paid Pierson to fix them.
—Beth Warren, USA TODAY, 6 Apr. 2024
In 2018, a technician onboard a vessel managed by Synergy was killed when a personnel elevator malfunctioned, according to authorities in Australia, where the vessel was registered.
—Joyce Sohyun Lee, Washington Post, 26 Mar. 2024
Since the animatronic shark frequently malfunctioned on set, Jaws was forced to merely suggest the creature’s foreboding presence with ominous first-person camerawork instead of showing the killer up close.
—Wesley Stenzel, EW.com, 27 Mar. 2024
The programs had to be transferred to paper tapes, which had to be run through this very old computer that often malfunctioned and ripped your paper in half.
—Ben Brubaker, Quanta Magazine, 27 Mar. 2024
Then, the shot clock malfunctioned and after several attempts to restart the game and fix the clock, referees eventually determined that the arena PA announcer would announce the time left on the clock at five second intervals in real time.
—Issy Ronald, CNN, 17 Mar. 2024
By George Ramsay | CNN Major League Baseball players have been faced with an unusual problem ahead of the new season: a malfunctioning wardrobe.
—Cnn.com, The Mercury News, 23 Feb. 2024
Midway through the episode, there’s a scene in which Janine and Gregory meet in a bathroom and contend with a malfunctioning toilet.
—Molly Fischer, The New Yorker, 18 Mar. 2024
Lemon pressed Musk on his comments, noting that the pilot on the Alaska Airlines flight that saw a high-profile door plug blowout in January was a woman who landed the malfunctioning plane safely — and that Boeing has taken responsibility for the incident.
—William Gavin, Quartz, 18 Mar. 2024
Noun
That is a measure of the risk the ship will face problems caused by pilot mistakes, poor environmental conditions or mechanical malfunctions.
—Júlia Ledur, Washington Post, 18 Apr. 2024
In the wake of 2020, bogus claims that the elections were stolen focused on ballot stuffing, mail-in ballots, and election machine malfunctions; but in 2024 and at the CSPOA conference on Wednesday, the focus for most of these speakers was on the border.
—David Gilbert, WIRED, 18 Apr. 2024
On Saturday, Grimes lived what is probably the nightmare of every Coachella performer: debilitating equipment malfunctions in front of thousands of fans and possibly millions watching online.
—Variety, NBC News, 15 Apr. 2024
The singer-songwriter struggled with equipment malfunctions throughout her show on Saturday, with problems plaguing the programming of her tracks at the mixing desk that left her screaming into the microphone throughout the second half of her set.
—Zoe G Phillips, The Hollywood Reporter, 14 Apr. 2024
When faced with an impending crisis due to a fatal malfunction in older vehicles, GM appointed Mary Barra, a longtime insider, to the top job.
—Corinne Post, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024
Boeing’s ongoing plane malfunctions have been making people uneasy—from regulators to customers to the flying public.
—Sunny Nagpaul, Fortune, 27 Mar. 2024
The malfunction only affected a small portion of orders, and impacted customers have not been charged.
—Eva Rothenberg, CNN, 16 Mar. 2024
Jackson County’s assessment, collections and recorder of deeds offices were closed Tuesday morning due to computer malfunctions, which the county said was possibly attributable to some form of cyber attack.
—Mike Hendricks, Kansas City Star, 2 Apr. 2024
These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'malfunction.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.
Dictionary Entries Near malfunction
Cite this Entry
“Malfunction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malfunction. Accessed 24 Apr. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malfunction
verb
mal·func·tion
(ˈ)mal-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən
: to fail to function or operate properly
malfunction
noun
Medical Definition
malfunction
intransitive verb
mal·func·tion
(ˈ)mal-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən
: to function imperfectly or badly : fail to operate in the normal or usual manner
malfunctioning kidneys
malfunction
noun
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