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
Relevance
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
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
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Recent Examples of functioning
Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 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
The winning team later enjoyed a luxury yacht complete with a private chef, while the losing team slept on the smallest vessel—without a functioning toilet.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The cozy accommodations are stocked with a selection of Southern books and some retain original features like non-functioning fireplaces.
—Caroline Eubanks, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
The ability to defend against such cyberattacks is integral to the basic functioning of society.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
While Europe is less directly dependent on Hormuz, its economy relies on the smooth functioning of global shipping routes.
—Gerry Doyle, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
Early findings show that teens who use more social media display different patterns in executive functioning—skills like paying attention, controlling impulses, and staying organized.
—Crista Marchesseault, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026
This is because the female body experiences more hormonal fluctuations as part of its natural functioning and is more sensitive to anything that interferes with hormonal balance.
—Ashley Olivine, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2026
What changes are observable in daily functioning?
—Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
But embedded in the hour is a better special functioning as a love letter to his mom.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
The Middle East accounts for 9% of the world’s production of aluminum, an abundant metal that is essential to the functioning of the global economy given its importance to a wide range of industries, including packaging, aerospace, and transportation.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 29 Mar. 2026
ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
But inside today’s leading AI companies, most coding is performed by AI systems themselves, with human software engineers functioning more as coaches or high-level architects rather than in-the-weeds mechanics.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026
Reported fear and lack of coordination across some Iranian forces mean that medium-range missile systems are still functioning sub-optimally.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Copenhagen has still built only a fraction of its three hundred ecological projects; the unbuilt portion includes the green streets and cloudburst boulevards meant to link them into a functioning network.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
From there, Sánchez Arveláiz rose quickly, eventually becoming director of international relations in the presidential office, a position that analysts describe as functioning like a parallel foreign ministry reporting directly to Chávez.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
In Tehran, a city of nine million people, schools are closed, businesses are shuttered or struggling, and locals are living without a functioning air-raid warning system or public shelters.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026
But this needs a functioning democracy that is nearly gone today.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
Little is known about how trials are functioning, as Israeli airstrikes have targeted buildings connected to the judicial system.
—Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Adjective
Broken Belongings Non-functioning items, such as broken appliances or electronics, can hinder positive feng shui.
—Mary Cornetta, Better Homes & Gardens, 8 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
The winning team later enjoyed a luxury yacht complete with a private chef, while the losing team slept on the smallest vessel—without a functioning toilet.
—Tim Corlett, Forbes.com, 18 Jan. 2026
The cozy accommodations are stocked with a selection of Southern books and some retain original features like non-functioning fireplaces.
—Caroline Eubanks, Travel + Leisure, 9 Jan. 2026
Noun
Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.
—Jazz Monroe, Pitchfork, 9 Apr. 2026
The ability to defend against such cyberattacks is integral to the basic functioning of society.
—Matteo Wong, The Atlantic, 9 Apr. 2026
While Europe is less directly dependent on Hormuz, its economy relies on the smooth functioning of global shipping routes.
—Gerry Doyle, Fortune, 5 Apr. 2026
Early findings show that teens who use more social media display different patterns in executive functioning—skills like paying attention, controlling impulses, and staying organized.
—Crista Marchesseault, Hartford Courant, 4 Apr. 2026
This is because the female body experiences more hormonal fluctuations as part of its natural functioning and is more sensitive to anything that interferes with hormonal balance.
—Ashley Olivine, Verywell Health, 2 Apr. 2026
What changes are observable in daily functioning?
—Sonia Singh, Rolling Stone, 2 Apr. 2026
But embedded in the hour is a better special functioning as a love letter to his mom.
—Hershal Pandya, Vulture, 30 Mar. 2026
The Middle East accounts for 9% of the world’s production of aluminum, an abundant metal that is essential to the functioning of the global economy given its importance to a wide range of industries, including packaging, aerospace, and transportation.
—J.d. Capelouto, semafor.com, 29 Mar. 2026
Verb
The head of the national railway authority SNCF, Jean Castex, said the railroad crossing gates were functioning correctly.
—ABC News, 7 Apr. 2026
But inside today’s leading AI companies, most coding is performed by AI systems themselves, with human software engineers functioning more as coaches or high-level architects rather than in-the-weeds mechanics.
—Jared Perlo, NBC news, 7 Apr. 2026
Reported fear and lack of coordination across some Iranian forces mean that medium-range missile systems are still functioning sub-optimally.
—Benjamin Weinthal, FOXNews.com, 7 Apr. 2026
Copenhagen has still built only a fraction of its three hundred ecological projects; the unbuilt portion includes the green streets and cloudburst boulevards meant to link them into a functioning network.
—Eric Klinenberg, New Yorker, 6 Apr. 2026
From there, Sánchez Arveláiz rose quickly, eventually becoming director of international relations in the presidential office, a position that analysts describe as functioning like a parallel foreign ministry reporting directly to Chávez.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 6 Apr. 2026
In Tehran, a city of nine million people, schools are closed, businesses are shuttered or struggling, and locals are living without a functioning air-raid warning system or public shelters.
—Manal Albarakati, semafor.com, 6 Apr. 2026
But this needs a functioning democracy that is nearly gone today.
—Edward Lotterman, Twin Cities, 5 Apr. 2026
Little is known about how trials are functioning, as Israeli airstrikes have targeted buildings connected to the judicial system.
—Amir-Hussein Radjy, Los Angeles Times, 5 Apr. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for functioning
Adjective
-
Exxon operates some of the wells directly and holds a financial, non-operating interest in the others.—
Rachel Nostrant,
Houston Chronicle,
26 Jan. 2026
-
Last year, though revenue and operating profit increased, non-operating red ink pushed the company into a full-year loss of NT$766 million, or $25 million.—
Russell Flannery,
Forbes.com,
26 Aug. 2025
Noun
-
What does all this have to do, pray, with a woman pouring milk from a jug, or reading a letter, or patiently making lace—the kind of activity, that is, pursued in Vermeer’s art?—
Anthony Lane,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Going from one activity to another may be hard as well for children living with trauma.—
Dr. Andrew Garner,
Boston Herald,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
Recent revelations have shown a top member of Orban’s government frequently shared the contents of EU discussions with Moscow, raising accusations that Hungary was acting on Russia’s behalf within the bloc.—
Justin Spike,
Fortune,
12 Apr. 2026
-
Recent revelations have shown a top member of his government frequently shared the contents of EU discussions with Moscow, raising accusations that Hungary was acting on Russia’s behalf within the bloc.—
Justin Spike,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
While Iran's domestic intranet remains operational — supporting local messaging apps, banking platforms and other services — access to the global internet has been severely restricted since early February.—
Brian Dakss,
CBS News,
11 Apr. 2026
-
Ever since, day-to-day operational insight has been under Yusef Jackson.—
Tess Kenny,
Chicago Tribune,
10 Apr. 2026
Noun
-
Trotsky’s arguments about revolution in one nation versus a revolution of the international proletariat, like the fine argumentative tracery of Paul’s Jewish Christians versus Greek ones, seemed vital to the movement at the time but weirdly trivial and abstract to those outside it.—
Adam Gopnik,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
-
These sonobuoys typically work as part of a larger network, where multiple buoys are deployed over a wide area to create an underwater surveillance grid, allowing operators to triangulate and track submarine movements more accurately, as per reports.—
Prabhat Ranjan Mishra,
Interesting Engineering,
12 Apr. 2026
Verb
-
True strength is manifested in serving life.—
CBS News,
CBS News,
13 Apr. 2026
-
For The Times) Bianco emphasized his decades serving in law enforcement in the state, one of his main selling points to Californians concerned about liberal criminal justice policies of past Democratic administrations.—
Seema Mehta,
Los Angeles Times,
12 Apr. 2026
Adjective
-
But the operative word is delayed, not destroyed.—
Zev Fima,
CNBC,
2 Apr. 2026
-
These laws are only required today because Democrats have put in place operative policies that allow for people who are not legal voters to be voting.—
Special to the Sun-Sentinel,
Sun Sentinel,
23 Mar. 2026
Noun
-
Outlook Lite was a lightweight alternative to Outlook designed to keep the app size small, improve performance on less powerful devices, and reduce battery usage.—
James Peckham,
PC Magazine,
13 Apr. 2026
-
Among her peers, Larsson is a traditionalist for her straightforward and sincere approach to live performance.—
Doreen St. Félix,
New Yorker,
13 Apr. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Functioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functioning. Accessed 15 Apr. 2026.
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