dysfunction

noun

dys·​func·​tion (ˌ)dis-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən 

variants or less commonly disfunction

1

: impaired or abnormal functioning

gastrointestinal dysfunction

2

: abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction within a group

family dysfunction

Examples of dysfunction in a Sentence

The disease causes gastrointestinal dysfunctions.

Recent Examples on the Web

But some see it as a dysfunctional response to counteract other aspects of China’s broader economic dysfunction. —George Calhoun, Forbes.com, 25 May 2026

Teams move fast to obtain blood tests, look for signs of organ dysfunction, start IV fluids and antibiotics and identify the source of infection through cultures or imaging. —Dr. Jamin Brahmbhatt, CNN Money, 24 May 2026

But amid the nationwide upheaval, San Francisco is the first major city to be left without a primary immigration court, leaving chaos and dysfunction in a region long known for its friendliness to asylum seekers. —Olga R. Rodriguez, Los Angeles Times, 24 May 2026

This city is too important to settle for dysfunction, spectacle, or more of the same. —Adam Miller, Daily News, 23 May 2026

Word History

Etymology

dys- + function entry 1

First Known Use

circa 1916, in the meaning defined at sense 1

Phrases Containing dysfunction

• erectile dysfunction
• minimal brain dysfunction

Rhymes for dysfunction

• adjunction
• compunction
• conjunction
• disjunction
• injunction
• malfunction
• eigenfunction
• multifunction
• function
• junction
• unction
• heterojunction

Kids Definition

dysfunction

noun

dys·​func·​tion dis-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən 

: impaired or abnormal functioning

liver dysfunction

dysfunctional

-shnəl 

-shən-ᵊl

adjective

Medical Definition

dysfunction

noun

dys·​func·​tion

variants also disfunction

(ˈ)dis-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən 

: impaired or abnormal functioning (as of an organ of the body)

dysfunctional

-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

adjective

dysfunctioning

-shə-niŋ 

noun