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
If only the radio hadn’t malfunctioned.
—
Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Following the band's cover shoot in New York, Crowe learned that his friend and collaborator Neal Preston’s flash had malfunctioned.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Some found out even earlier in the day after their smart mattress tech malfunctioned.
—PC Magazine, 22 Oct. 2025
Moscow has denied the vessel had malfunctioned.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Physicians and engineers alike fretted about the high stakes if a system malfunctioned.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
In his complaint, lodged in Alameda County Superior Court, Hinterdobler claimed that the same robot line had violently malfunctioned earlier this year.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
Harrington's sump pump had malfunctioned, failing to push rising waters back outside.
—Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Distribution lines in Altadena malfunctioned before a fire started on transmission lines near Eaton Canyon.
—Chiara Eisner, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Elizabeth D. Samet, Foreign Affairs, 29 Oct. 2025
Following the band's cover shoot in New York, Crowe learned that his friend and collaborator Neal Preston’s flash had malfunctioned.
—Carly Tagen-Dye, PEOPLE, 28 Oct. 2025
Some found out even earlier in the day after their smart mattress tech malfunctioned.
—PC Magazine, 22 Oct. 2025
Moscow has denied the vessel had malfunctioned.
—Ellie Cook, MSNBC Newsweek, 14 Oct. 2025
Physicians and engineers alike fretted about the high stakes if a system malfunctioned.
—Carrie Arnold, Scientific American, 14 Oct. 2025
In his complaint, lodged in Alameda County Superior Court, Hinterdobler claimed that the same robot line had violently malfunctioned earlier this year.
—Georgina Jedikovska, Interesting Engineering, 7 Oct. 2025
Harrington's sump pump had malfunctioned, failing to push rising waters back outside.
—Tamia Fowlkes, jsonline.com, 6 Oct. 2025
Distribution lines in Altadena malfunctioned before a fire started on transmission lines near Eaton Canyon.
—Chiara Eisner, NPR, 2 Oct. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malfunctioned
Verb
-
The shutdown began after Democrats and Republicans failed to agree on a government funding bill.—
Aliss Higham,
MSNBC Newsweek,
6 Nov. 2025
-
If the main goal was to drive African Americans away, the laws failed.—
Equal Justice Initiative,
USA Today,
6 Nov. 2025
Verb
-
The Little Rock man who, police say, crashed while fleeing from an Arkansas State Police trooper last week now faces first-degree murder counts in the death of two teenage passengers, authorities said Wednesday.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Nov. 2025
-
All passengers and crew members died when two 737 Max jetliners went down less than five months apart in 2018 and 2019 — a Lion Air flight that plunged into the sea off the coast of Indonesia and an Ethiopian Airlines flight that crashed into a field after taking off from Addis Ababa.—
Jamie Stengle,
Fortune,
6 Nov. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malfunctioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malfunctioned. Accessed 8 Nov. 2025.
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