dysfunctional

adjective

dys·​func·​tion·​al (ˌ)dis-ˈfəŋ(k)-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

: characterized by or exhibiting dysfunction: such as

a

: not functioning properly : marked by impaired or abnormal functioning

With 180,000 employees and a $43 billion budget, the department is a collage of 22 distinct government agencies drawn from different corners of the federal organization chart and glued together into a single, largely dysfunctional unit.

—Paul C. Light

This form of anemia develops because the bone marrow is not producing new cells rapidly enough to replace old cells that have become destroyed or otherwise dysfunctional.

—Tom Ewing

This led to a dysfunctional credit market that in important respects soon turned non-functional.

—Warren E. Buffett

b

: characterized by abnormal or unhealthy interpersonal behavior or interaction

dysfunctional relationships

As with any dysfunctional family, it may take an outsider to get a clear picture of the situation.

—Chris Mooney

Did you know?

Dysfunctional and dysfunction have been used for almost a hundred years, often in medical writing ("brain dysfunction", "a dysfunctional liver") but also by social scientists ("a dysfunctional city council", "diplomatic dysfunction"). But they only really entered the general vocabulary in the 1980s, when therapists and talk-show hosts began talking about dysfunctional families. The signs of family dysfunction turned out to be numerous, and it soon began to seem as if pretty much all our families could be called dysfunctional.

Examples of dysfunctional in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

This planted the seed of the idea to write a book about the dysfunctional relationship between humanity and forests. —Eugene Linden, TIME, 21 Apr. 2024

But his fractured and dysfunctional rivals have struggled to capitalize on that. —Sameer Yasir, New York Times, 19 Apr. 2024

On the flip side, a team that is dysfunctional can drag down morale and efficiency, creating internal problems that take away from the work at hand. —Rolling Stone Culture Council, Rolling Stone, 15 Apr. 2024

That being said, its creator had another dysfunctional family on his mind. —Marta Balaga, Variety, 10 Apr. 2024

Further complicating matters is his colorful, dysfunctional family, particularly grandson Samuel (Aaron Altaras) and his girlfriend Saba (Saffron Coomber) who are expecting a son, a fourth-generation Zweifler. —Scott Roxborough, The Hollywood Reporter, 10 Apr. 2024

The dysfunctional responses in the face of these recurring quarrels can leave you feeling stuck on a hamster wheel. —Mark Travers, Forbes, 29 Mar. 2024

In the 1980s, as the increasingly dysfunctional country sank into economic turmoil, Baby Doc faced growing opposition at home and abroad. —Bryan Pietsch, Washington Post, 16 Mar. 2024

The current relationship between the mayor, council and the City Attorney’s Office leadership is dysfunctional. —The San Diego Union-Tribune Staff, San Diego Union-Tribune, 20 Feb. 2024

Word History

Etymology

dysfunction + -al entry 1, after functional

First Known Use

1915, in the meaning defined above