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
Drinking has been found to increase the risk of many cancers, metabolic dysfunction, gut microbiome disturbances and mitochondrial toxins, Hyman said.
—
Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Nothing in the documents suggested the kind of kidney or liver dysfunction that would significantly impair morphine elimination.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Thank goodness the Broncos no longer traffic in this dysfunction.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
He was born into relative monetary comfort while I was born into massive dysfunction followed by years of abject poverty and homelessness.
—Douglas MacKinnon, Boston Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dysfunction
Angelica Stabile, FOXNews.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Nothing in the documents suggested the kind of kidney or liver dysfunction that would significantly impair morphine elimination.
—Ben Taub, New Yorker, 26 Jan. 2026
Thank goodness the Broncos no longer traffic in this dysfunction.
—Troy Renck, Denver Post, 22 Jan. 2026
He was born into relative monetary comfort while I was born into massive dysfunction followed by years of abject poverty and homelessness.
—Douglas MacKinnon, Boston Herald, 20 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dysfunction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dysfunction
Noun
-
In those participants, the disease was not associated with any changes in brain size or evidence of damage.—
Melissa Rudy,
FOXNews.com,
29 Jan. 2026
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During an appearance on BBC Breakfast on Tuesday, Horton took the time to promote a charity seeking to raise funds for the organization Pancreatic Cancer UK, while also sharing a sweet tribute to the late Harry Potter star, who died from the disease in 2016 at age 69.—
Lauren Huff,
Entertainment Weekly,
28 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Emiliano Garduño Gálvez, 23, pleaded guilty in October to one count each of possessing an unregistered destructive device and obstructing law enforcement during a civil disorder.—
Alene Tchekmedyian,
Los Angeles Times,
31 Jan. 2026
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The younger a person starts drinking regularly, the greater their chance of developing an alcohol-use disorder.—
Paul Gilbert,
Mercury News,
31 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dysfunction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dysfunction. Accessed 2 Feb. 2026.
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