variants
also disfunction
as in disease
impaired or abnormal functioning (as of a body part)
She's suffered from minor brain dysfunction since the accident.
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Recent Examples of dysfunction
His music was explicitly political and critical of government dysfunction.
—
Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
That’s not democracy, that’s dysfunction and shutting voters out.
—Doug Friednash, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
Golden also voiced frustration with the state of Congress and the longest shutdown in government history last fall, arguing that the dysfunction led him to reconsider his options.
—Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Americans are sick and tired of Washington's dysfunction.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dysfunction
Ethan Teekah, Encyclopedia Britannica, 31 Mar. 2026
That’s not democracy, that’s dysfunction and shutting voters out.
—Doug Friednash, Denver Post, 30 Mar. 2026
Golden also voiced frustration with the state of Congress and the longest shutdown in government history last fall, arguing that the dysfunction led him to reconsider his options.
—Benjamin Siegel, ABC News, 29 Mar. 2026
Americans are sick and tired of Washington's dysfunction.
—Andrew Adeolu, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dysfunction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dysfunction
Noun
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Eventually an eye infection took her to a doctor who diagnosed her with an autoimmune disease.—
Madeline Mitchell,
USA Today,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Scientists were searching for a new breed of pear tree resistant to a nasty fungus called fire blight, a disease that can decimate crops.—
John Tufts,
IndyStar,
1 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Similarly, professionals in substance abuse, behavioral disorder and mental health counselor occupations earn median wages below $60,000 a year, despite typically needing a master’s degree in psychology or a related field.—
Kamaron McNair,
CNBC,
3 Apr. 2026
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The condition is associated with excess weight and obesity, as well as metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
3 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dysfunction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dysfunction. Accessed 5 Apr. 2026.
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