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.
Related Words
Relevance
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of dysfunction
Amsterdam Schiphol Airport, The Netherlands Amsterdam's Schiphol Airport ranks 10th, reflecting recent operational pressures rather than long-standing dysfunction.
—
Hana Al-Khodairi, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Jan. 2026
Stefanski is credited with establishing a positive culture in a franchise epitomized by dysfunction.
—Mark Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
Rosebush Pruning Callum Turner and Riley Keough top the cast of Karim Aïnouz’s remake of Marco Bellochio’s 1965 satirical drama about family dysfunction feature Fists in the Pocket.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2026
As usual, 2025 was a year of deep congressional dysfunction in the US.
—Adi Robertson, The Verge, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dysfunction
Hana Al-Khodairi, Condé Nast Traveler, 6 Jan. 2026
Stefanski is credited with establishing a positive culture in a franchise epitomized by dysfunction.
—Mark Anderson, Chicago Tribune, 5 Jan. 2026
Rosebush Pruning Callum Turner and Riley Keough top the cast of Karim Aïnouz’s remake of Marco Bellochio’s 1965 satirical drama about family dysfunction feature Fists in the Pocket.
—Andreas Wiseman, Deadline, 1 Jan. 2026
As usual, 2025 was a year of deep congressional dysfunction in the US.
—Adi Robertson, The Verge, 1 Jan. 2026
See All Example Sentences for dysfunction
Recent Examples of Synonyms for dysfunction
Noun
-
Plant diseases and pests can be spread by reusing dirty flower pots.—
Mary Marlowe Leverette,
The Spruce,
9 Jan. 2026
-
In 2024, Patrick's widow Lisa Niemi Swayze teamed up with leading non profit Pancreatic Cancer Action Network to help raise awareness of the disease and increase funding for research.—
Madison E. Goldberg,
PEOPLE,
8 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Amid the disorder, the regime turned to a familiar playbook of crushing dissent.—
Mitchell McCluskey,
CNN Money,
12 Jan. 2026
-
Alcazar said the unrest underscores the danger of leaving federal agents to operate amid disorder without local law enforcement support, warning that the absence of a visible police presence increases the risk of escalation and injury for officers and civilians alike.—
Stepheny Price,
FOXNews.com,
11 Jan. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Dysfunction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/dysfunction. Accessed 13 Jan. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share