nonfunctional

adjective

non·​func·​tion·​al ˌnän-ˈfəŋ(k)-shnəl 

-shə-nᵊl

: not functional: such as

a

: having no function : serving or performing no useful purpose

Naive art … tends to be decorative and nonfunctional.

—Robert Atkins

b

: not performing or able to perform a regular function

… the entire network is rendered nonfunctional if the central controller fails.

—Charles Feltman

nonfunctionally adverb

Synonyms of nonfunctional

• nonfunctioning
• malfunctioning
• down
• inoperable
• inoperative
• broken
• out of commission

Examples of nonfunctional in a Sentence

that gas pump is nonfunctional, which is the reason for the plastic bag over the nozzle

Recent Examples on the Web

Down the road from his house, drivers cautiously approached a nonfunctional traffic light on Hampstead Mexico Road that was impacted by an outage. — Gabriella Fine, Baltimore Sun, 9 July 2026

The Placer County Sheriff’s Office said drivers should treat intersections with nonfunctional traffic signals as a four-way stop. — Corey Schmidt, Sacbee.com, 20 June 2026

Critics alleged inhumane conditions, including poor food, nonfunctional toilets and a lack of access to attorneys. — Camilo Montoya-Galvez, CBS News, 17 June 2026

Las Vegas passed a law in 2021 banning much of the valley’s ornamental turfgrass starting in 2027, and Phoenix wants to remove nonfunctional turfgrass from medians and business parks. — Maggie Slepian, Longreads, 14 May 2026

Word History

First Known Use

1878, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for nonfunctional

• bifunctional
• dysfunctional
• functional
• junctional

Medical Definition

nonfunctional

adjective

non·​func·​tion·​al -ˈfəŋ(k)-shnəl, -shən-ᵊl 

: nonfunctioning

a nonfunctional muscle