as in failed
to fail to function or work properly
A software problem is causing the system to malfunction.
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Recent Examples of malfunctioned
One morning last April, Arenas was driving home from the gym when his Tesla Cybertruck malfunctioned, crashed into a tree and burst into flames, briefly trapping him inside.
—
Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
After the fatal shot was fired, the gun malfunctioned because a shell casing became lodged in the chamber, officials said.
—Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
The meeting comes after Amazon’s online store malfunctioned for some users last week.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Barker said backup transformers were arriving Thursday and Friday to replace ones that malfunctioned a few months ago.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
The agreement would also require the company to replace a grinder pump that repeatedly malfunctioned and discharged large pieces of debris into the city’s sewer system, requiring costly repairs.
—Matthew Kelly
february 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
This time, the rocket's helium system malfunctioned, further delaying astronauts' first trip to the moon in more than half a century.
—CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
But Calypso’s thrusters malfunctioned during docking, and the spacecraft temporarily lost its ability to fully control its motion and position in space—a moment that, according to Isaacman and other sources, could easily have ended in disaster.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 19 Feb. 2026
Shortly after the launch, however, mission managers detected helium leaks in the capsule’s propulsion system, and then several thrusters malfunctioned as the spacecraft tried to dock with the space station.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
Los Angeles Times, 11 Mar. 2026
After the fatal shot was fired, the gun malfunctioned because a shell casing became lodged in the chamber, officials said.
—Sheetal Banchariya, New York Daily News, 11 Mar. 2026
The meeting comes after Amazon’s online store malfunctioned for some users last week.
—Annie Palmer, CNBC, 10 Mar. 2026
Barker said backup transformers were arriving Thursday and Friday to replace ones that malfunctioned a few months ago.
—Doug Ross, Chicago Tribune, 28 Feb. 2026
The agreement would also require the company to replace a grinder pump that repeatedly malfunctioned and discharged large pieces of debris into the city’s sewer system, requiring costly repairs.
—Matthew Kelly
february 27, Kansas City Star, 27 Feb. 2026
This time, the rocket's helium system malfunctioned, further delaying astronauts' first trip to the moon in more than half a century.
—CBS News, 22 Feb. 2026
But Calypso’s thrusters malfunctioned during docking, and the spacecraft temporarily lost its ability to fully control its motion and position in space—a moment that, according to Isaacman and other sources, could easily have ended in disaster.
—Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 19 Feb. 2026
Shortly after the launch, however, mission managers detected helium leaks in the capsule’s propulsion system, and then several thrusters malfunctioned as the spacecraft tried to dock with the space station.
—Denise Chow, NBC news, 19 Feb. 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malfunctioned
Verb
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Narcan and other lifesaving measures failed to revive her and she was taken to the hospital, where doctors said that she had been deprived of oxygen for six minutes, her husband said in the video filmed at her hospital bedside.—
Theresa Braine,
New York Daily News,
18 Mar. 2026
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The House failed to pass a measure that would propose amending the Constitution to require the federal government to have a balanced budget, a measure offered by conservatives to address the ever-increasing national debt.—
Zach Halaschak,
The Washington Examiner,
18 Mar. 2026
Verb
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Three airmen from the Ohio Air National Guard's 121st Air Refueling Wing were among six crew members killed on March 12 when their KC-135 Stratotanker crashed in western Iraq.—
Steven Beynon,
ABC News,
20 Mar. 2026
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While in 1570 the island furnished 70 percent of the sugar in Antwerp—Europe’s most important market—the figure had crashed to 2 percent in the 1590s.—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
19 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malfunctioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malfunctioned. Accessed 20 Mar. 2026.
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