as in served
to have a certain purpose
the heart functions as a pump for the blood
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Recent Examples of functioned
But advocates have spent more than 20 years pushing for upgrades, arguing the bridge has increasingly functioned as a barrier rather than a safe, accessible route.
—
Teresa Liu, Daily News, 1 May 2026
The board functioned as a bridging device – a mechanism by which scientific judgment could inform federal decisions without scientists becoming political officers, and political priorities could shape research agendas without dictating findings.
—Caroline Wagner, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Nieuwpoort functioned as a front-line European city during WWI, and experienced widespread damage as a result of its location.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 Apr. 2026
Since Coachella’s tandem cultural ascent with social media and the influencer in the 2010s, Weekend 1 has increasingly functioned less as a traditional festival and more as a kind of content engine.
—Andrea Domanick, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Spurs stay small but survive Luke Kornet functioned well as Wembanyama’s fill-in, producing 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 30 minutes.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Apr. 2026
For decades now, China has functioned on the premise that wealth and social stability emerge only from a market economy in which big, unseen forces—not to be questioned or defied by individuals—control everything important.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Fry remarked that the plant has functioned as a component of the state’s nuclear energy infrastructure for over 50 years.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
In both cases, an ever broadening category of deaths functioned as inexhaustible proof of an expansive government cover-up.
—Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 22 Apr. 2026
Teresa Liu, Daily News, 1 May 2026
The board functioned as a bridging device – a mechanism by which scientific judgment could inform federal decisions without scientists becoming political officers, and political priorities could shape research agendas without dictating findings.
—Caroline Wagner, The Conversation, 30 Apr. 2026
Nieuwpoort functioned as a front-line European city during WWI, and experienced widespread damage as a result of its location.
—Andrew Paul, Popular Science, 29 Apr. 2026
Since Coachella’s tandem cultural ascent with social media and the influencer in the 2010s, Weekend 1 has increasingly functioned less as a traditional festival and more as a kind of content engine.
—Andrea Domanick, Los Angeles Times, 26 Apr. 2026
Spurs stay small but survive Luke Kornet functioned well as Wembanyama’s fill-in, producing 14 points, 10 rebounds and two blocks in 30 minutes.
—Jeff McDonald, San Antonio Express-News, 25 Apr. 2026
For decades now, China has functioned on the premise that wealth and social stability emerge only from a market economy in which big, unseen forces—not to be questioned or defied by individuals—control everything important.
—Graeme Wood, The Atlantic, 24 Apr. 2026
Fry remarked that the plant has functioned as a component of the state’s nuclear energy infrastructure for over 50 years.
—Aman Tripathi, Interesting Engineering, 24 Apr. 2026
In both cases, an ever broadening category of deaths functioned as inexhaustible proof of an expansive government cover-up.
—Dan Adler, Vanity Fair, 22 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for functioned
Verb
-
Tall served as Mali’s education and science minister from 2016 to 2017 and is the president of the National Congress for Democratic Initiative, a political party opposed to the military government.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
4 May 2026
-
Allen has served as the park historian for twenty-three years.—
Jennifer Wilson,
New Yorker,
4 May 2026
Verb
-
The federal judge in that case ruled that a jury could find that State Farm had acted in bad faith if the plaintiffs' lawyers demonstrated that the company ignored certain kinds of hail damage.—
Michael Copley,
NPR,
28 Apr. 2026
-
The April 22 incident took place during dismissal in the Hancock County School District, which said students acted quickly to safely stop the bus, contact emergency services and remain calm until help arrived.—
Michelle Del Rey,
USA Today,
28 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
The California Department of Forestry and Fire Protection, the San Bernardino County Fire Protection District, the Victorville Fire Department, and the Apple Valley Fire District worked together to fight the blaze, which burned 19 acres and is 50% contained as of late Saturday afternoon.—
Blanca Begert,
Los Angeles Times,
3 May 2026
-
Martinez easily worked her way into the box and slotted the ball home to allow the Spirit to retake the lead at 3-2.—
Kyle Foley,
The Orlando Sentinel,
3 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Functioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functioned. Accessed 9 May. 2026.
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