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
And later a valve on the Orion capsule malfunctioned as engineers also attempted to troubleshoot several dropouts of ground teams’ audio communications channels.
—
Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 3 Feb. 2026
But after the first attempt malfunctioned — the lace caught on the bottom of Buckley's bouquet, resulting in the veil accidentally yanking her head back — everyone is now on high alert.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026
The Heat seemed in control until Ayo Dosunmo caught fire and Miami’s offense repeatedly malfunctioned during a six-minute stretch of the fourth quarter.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Dealership technicians told Mahon that his engine had malfunctioned because of contaminated fuel and that several parts of the engine and fuel systems may have been damaged, the lawsuit stated.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
The Wild Twister previously malfunctioned another time in March 2021, leaving 14 riders stranded for six minutes, The Standard Hong Kong reported.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Two theme parkgoers were trapped more than 100 feet in the air for more than 30 minutes this week after a roller coaster in Texas malfunctioned.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
The plane’s landing gear malfunctioned, according to a team spokesperson.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025
The most significant fire was on Wednesday when an investigator said a generator being used at a home on Pleasant Park Road in Conifer malfunctioned.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025
Claire Cameron, Scientific American, 3 Feb. 2026
But after the first attempt malfunctioned — the lace caught on the bottom of Buckley's bouquet, resulting in the veil accidentally yanking her head back — everyone is now on high alert.
—Sydney Bucksbaum, Entertainment Weekly, 3 Feb. 2026
The Heat seemed in control until Ayo Dosunmo caught fire and Miami’s offense repeatedly malfunctioned during a six-minute stretch of the fourth quarter.
—Barry Jackson, Miami Herald, 29 Jan. 2026
Dealership technicians told Mahon that his engine had malfunctioned because of contaminated fuel and that several parts of the engine and fuel systems may have been damaged, the lawsuit stated.
—Lauren Penington, Denver Post, 15 Jan. 2026
The Wild Twister previously malfunctioned another time in March 2021, leaving 14 riders stranded for six minutes, The Standard Hong Kong reported.
—Colson Thayer, PEOPLE, 5 Jan. 2026
Two theme parkgoers were trapped more than 100 feet in the air for more than 30 minutes this week after a roller coaster in Texas malfunctioned.
—Brie Stimson, FOXNews.com, 21 Dec. 2025
The plane’s landing gear malfunctioned, according to a team spokesperson.
—Alec Lewis, New York Times, 21 Dec. 2025
The most significant fire was on Wednesday when an investigator said a generator being used at a home on Pleasant Park Road in Conifer malfunctioned.
—Alan Gionet, CBS News, 20 Dec. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malfunctioned
Verb
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Winds reshape planetary models Earlier measurements also failed to account for Jupiter’s extreme winds, some of the most powerful in the solar system.—
Neetika Walter,
Interesting Engineering,
5 Feb. 2026
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But Ryan failed to develop an adequate plan for how the newspaper would thrive in a post-Trump environment.—
Ruth Marcus,
New Yorker,
4 Feb. 2026
Verb
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The helicopter crashed about 50 feet from a BNSF Railway line and spread debris across the tracks, according to the railway.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
6 Feb. 2026
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Three people were killed and six more were wounded on Thursday after a car hit a bicyclist and crashed into a grocery store in Los Angeles, according to authorities.—
David Zimmermann,
The Washington Examiner,
6 Feb. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Malfunctioned.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malfunctioned. Accessed 10 Feb. 2026.
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