malfunction

1 of 2

verb

mal·​func·​tion ˌmal-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən 

malfunctioned; malfunctioning; malfunctions

intransitive verb

: to function imperfectly or badly : fail to operate normally

malfunction

2 of 2

noun

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

In 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

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 Web

Verb

One room of it has recently been converted into a studio of sorts for her partner Mehmet (Metin Akdülger), an experimental musician who is as likely to want to record the sound of a malfunctioning kitchen appliance as to fix it. — Jessica Kiang, Variety, 30 Sep. 2026

But helium leaks and malfunctioning thrusters raised safety concerns, leading NASA to decide Williams and Wilmore could not return to Earth onboard Calypso. — Adam Kovac, Scientific American, 28 Sep. 2026

Noun

Since then, Saudi Arabia has coordinated emergency landings for Israeli passengers, including in 2023 when a plane experienced an electrical malfunction. — Arkansas Online, 1 Oct. 2026

Since then, Saudi Arabia has coordinated multiple emergency landings for Israeli passengers, including in 2023 when a plane experienced an electrical malfunction. — Samy Magdy, Fortune, 30 Sep. 2026

Word History

First Known Use

Verb

1941, in the meaning defined above

Noun

1892, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for malfunction

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

Kids 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