as in operating
being in effective operation
looked for a functioning washing machine, but the few that weren't broken were in use
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in activity
Related Words
as in acting
to have a certain purpose
the heart functions as a pump for the blood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of functioning
Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2026
Collins says cleaning a functioning or newer dryer once every two years is sufficient to clear our major blocks and prevent more serious complications, such as clogs that can lead to fires.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2026
Investigators say the error was compounded by non-functioning signal systems along with failures in staffing, oversight and maintenance during years of delays in safety upgrades.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Velasquez said Chait placed a strong emphasis on communication, recalling that district leaders recently sent administrators guidance on reassuring families that schools would remain safe and functioning.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
At the same time, Maguire ventured into opposition territory to serve as an emergency centre-forward — rarely a sign of a functioning game plan.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
New Yorkers deserve and require a fully functioning and cohesive government.
—Kirsten John Foy, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Police say the driver stopped at the non-functioning signal but did not see the teen in the crosswalk before proceeding.
—Tori Mason, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
At this stage, your vending business is a functioning, revenue-generating enterprise, which significantly lowers adjudicatory risk.
—Raheel Sheikh, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Ashwin Gaidhani, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Most pills — like Prozac for depression or Lipitor for cholesterol — are tiny chemicals that squeeze into a pocket inside a much larger protein to gum up its functioning.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
For example, a larger trial found that a multidomain program involving cognitive training, exercise, nutrition guidance, and vascular risk monitoring helped improve or maintain cognitive functioning in older adults at risk for dementia.
—Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 29 May 2026
Chronic pain continues to affect millions of Americans and is associated with significant limitations in daily functioning, including impacts on work, mobility, and overall quality of life.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 28 May 2026
But persistent, intense anxiety that disrupts sleep, mood or daily functioning is worth raising with a clinician.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
The student also showed a lack of motor functioning, uncontrolled emotions and developed a form of insomnia that prevented a regular sleep schedule.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 27 May 2026
Studies have found that regularly eating fish is associated with improved sleep quality, falling asleep more easily, and better daytime functioning.
—Trista Chan, Health, 25 May 2026
The grid of international borders must therefore be ever more militarized, or else the system of states—which is now explicitly a class system, whose functioning depends on mass immobilization—cannot work.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
For decades, blue-collar jobs had outnumbered white-collar ones, and public services were plentiful and well-functioning—hospitals, day cares, parks, free education.
—Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
Each operation runs on a multi-agent system—a lead agent functioning as a mechanical CEO, with sub-agents handling procurement, customer communications, and logistics.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
Investigation centered on suspicious activity at storefront Homeland Security Investigations agents began monitoring the Buy 4 Less location in December 2025 after observing activity that appeared inconsistent with a functioning retail business, according to a federal criminal complaint.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 June 2026
When your paycheck is determined by an opaque algorithm that pits you against your neighbor in a race to the bottom, the political agency required for a functioning democracy evaporates.
—Sarita Gupta, Time, 2 June 2026
In the years after her death, the visible machinery of wealth continued functioning even as the structure of the household became increasingly unstable.
—Kate Casey, Vanity Fair, 2 June 2026
Rubio noted that the United States now has a functioning embassy in Venezuela and that direct flights between the two countries have resumed for the first time in years.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
In some ways, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund is what happens when an already wealthy and well-functioning social democratic country becomes unbelievably rich.
—Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 2026
Adjective
The location had critical issues with non-functioning refrigeration units, which led to food being stored at unsafe temperatures, city officials said.
—Lillie Davidson, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 19 May 2026
Collins says cleaning a functioning or newer dryer once every two years is sufficient to clear our major blocks and prevent more serious complications, such as clogs that can lead to fires.
—Kristine Gill, Better Homes & Gardens, 19 Apr. 2026
Investigators say the error was compounded by non-functioning signal systems along with failures in staffing, oversight and maintenance during years of delays in safety upgrades.
—ABC News, 23 Mar. 2026
Velasquez said Chait placed a strong emphasis on communication, recalling that district leaders recently sent administrators guidance on reassuring families that schools would remain safe and functioning.
—Teresa Liu, Daily News, 7 Mar. 2026
At the same time, Maguire ventured into opposition territory to serve as an emergency centre-forward — rarely a sign of a functioning game plan.
—Carl Anka, New York Times, 5 Mar. 2026
New Yorkers deserve and require a fully functioning and cohesive government.
—Kirsten John Foy, New York Daily News, 21 Feb. 2026
Police say the driver stopped at the non-functioning signal but did not see the teen in the crosswalk before proceeding.
—Tori Mason, CBS News, 2 Feb. 2026
At this stage, your vending business is a functioning, revenue-generating enterprise, which significantly lowers adjudicatory risk.
—Raheel Sheikh, Forbes.com, 26 Jan. 2026
Noun
The retrieval and governance layers must be reinforced for a safer functioning of the AI solutions with the right, relevant and responsible data.
—Ashwin Gaidhani, Forbes.com, 1 June 2026
Most pills — like Prozac for depression or Lipitor for cholesterol — are tiny chemicals that squeeze into a pocket inside a much larger protein to gum up its functioning.
—Bloomberg, Oc Register, 29 May 2026
For example, a larger trial found that a multidomain program involving cognitive training, exercise, nutrition guidance, and vascular risk monitoring helped improve or maintain cognitive functioning in older adults at risk for dementia.
—Lisa Rapaport, EverydayHealth.com, 29 May 2026
Chronic pain continues to affect millions of Americans and is associated with significant limitations in daily functioning, including impacts on work, mobility, and overall quality of life.
—Daniel Fusch, USA Today, 28 May 2026
But persistent, intense anxiety that disrupts sleep, mood or daily functioning is worth raising with a clinician.
—Lauren Jarvis-Gibson, Kansas City Star, 27 May 2026
The student also showed a lack of motor functioning, uncontrolled emotions and developed a form of insomnia that prevented a regular sleep schedule.
—Jt Moodee Lockman, CBS News, 27 May 2026
Studies have found that regularly eating fish is associated with improved sleep quality, falling asleep more easily, and better daytime functioning.
—Trista Chan, Health, 25 May 2026
The grid of international borders must therefore be ever more militarized, or else the system of states—which is now explicitly a class system, whose functioning depends on mass immobilization—cannot work.
—Literary Hub, 18 May 2026
Verb
The strait’s closure continues to cut off 20% of the world’s oil supply from global markets, along with liquid natural gas and fertilizer needed for a functioning global economy.
—Vanessa Yurkevich, CNN Money, 2 June 2026
For decades, blue-collar jobs had outnumbered white-collar ones, and public services were plentiful and well-functioning—hospitals, day cares, parks, free education.
—Kevin Lozano, Harpers Magazine, 2 June 2026
Each operation runs on a multi-agent system—a lead agent functioning as a mechanical CEO, with sub-agents handling procurement, customer communications, and logistics.
—Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 2 June 2026
Investigation centered on suspicious activity at storefront Homeland Security Investigations agents began monitoring the Buy 4 Less location in December 2025 after observing activity that appeared inconsistent with a functioning retail business, according to a federal criminal complaint.
—Anthony Thompson, USA Today, 2 June 2026
When your paycheck is determined by an opaque algorithm that pits you against your neighbor in a race to the bottom, the political agency required for a functioning democracy evaporates.
—Sarita Gupta, Time, 2 June 2026
In the years after her death, the visible machinery of wealth continued functioning even as the structure of the household became increasingly unstable.
—Kate Casey, Vanity Fair, 2 June 2026
Rubio noted that the United States now has a functioning embassy in Venezuela and that direct flights between the two countries have resumed for the first time in years.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 2 June 2026
In some ways, Norway’s sovereign wealth fund is what happens when an already wealthy and well-functioning social democratic country becomes unbelievably rich.
—Ola Morris Innset, The Dial, 2 June 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for functioning
Adjective
-
True, some if the upside surprise has come from non-operating gains on holdings in huge, private AI pioneers, but not all of it.—
Michael Santoli,
CNBC,
2 June 2026
-
Exxon operates some of the wells directly and holds a financial, non-operating interest in the others.—
Rachel Nostrant,
Houston Chronicle,
26 Jan. 2026
Noun
-
Volcanic activity has occurred in the area for millions of years, most recently around 2,100 years ago.—
Staff,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
Tom’s insistence on finding semi-plausible, scientific explanations for the island’s paranormal activity — especially the infamous Sea Hag in episode three — ultimately comes from a well-meaning, albeit misguided, place.—
Max Gao,
HollywoodReporter,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Hezbollah had not immediately claimed responsibility for the attacks, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz said Israel would continue acting against threats originating from Lebanon.—
Claire Carter,
The Washington Examiner,
7 June 2026
-
In the nearly seven years since her Sweetener World Tour, Grande detoured from her hugely successful pop career to amplify her acting aspirations.—
Melissa Ruggieri,
USA Today,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
But building much larger vessels — the Defiant class is intended to displace roughly 30,000 to 40,000 tons — would only inflate costs and create fatter targets, without offering dramatically new operational capacity.—
Editorial,
Boston Herald,
30 May 2026
-
The entire Starship program, however, is far behind schedule, with 12 launches of the rocket in the past three years—some successful, some not, none qualifying the giant machine as anywhere close to operational.—
Jeffrey Kluger,
Time,
29 May 2026
Noun
-
Total football remade soccer worldwide by emphasizing movement and pressure on the ball and the interchangeability of positions, laying the groundwork for the modern incarnation of the sport.—
Leander Schaerlaeckens
June 8,
Literary Hub,
8 June 2026
-
Gabriel leans into the music, and the bell of his sax catches the light, flashing gold with each movement.—
Arati Menon,
Condé Nast Traveler,
7 June 2026
Verb
-
Open since 1961 and still family-owned, the Honolulu institution remains a favorite among locals and visitors alike, serving classic combinations of rice, macaroni salad and protein-rich entrees.—
Staff,
USA Today,
8 June 2026
-
Bradley's killer, Eugene McCollom, pleaded guilty years ago and is serving a life sentence.—
Brittany Miller,
FOXNews.com,
7 June 2026
Adjective
-
But with less on his schedule this offseason, Brady seems determined to have an operative role in turning the Raiders around.—
Sam Warren,
New York Times,
29 May 2026
-
Post-operative care is provided with a special kit containing shampoos, lotions, and medical products, and the clinic maintains high hygiene standards by sanitizing procedure rooms through ultraviolet technology.—
Wyles Daniel,
USA Today,
20 May 2026
Noun
-
Sparks end a three-game losing streak with an 89-72 win over expansion Portland, delivering their stingiest defensive performance of the season.—
Marisa Ingemi,
Los Angeles Times,
8 June 2026
-
But the strength of his acidic, strong, difficult performance was too powerful for the Tonys to deny.—
Rebecca Alter,
Vulture,
8 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Functioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functioning. Accessed 9 Jun. 2026.
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