as in broken
not being in working order
a malfunctioning computer cost us days of work
Synonyms & Similar Words
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Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in failing
to fail to function or work properly
A software problem is causing the system to malfunction.
Related Words
Dissimilar Words
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of malfunctioning
Catherine Reagor, AZCentral.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Thousands of fragments orbit Earth, left behind by collisions, missile tests, and malfunctioning spacecraft.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025
Katie and her delightfully dysfunctional family, voiced by Danny McBride and Maya Rudolph, plus two malfunctioning robots who join their quest, voiced by Fred Armisen and Beck Bennett.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 17 Aug. 2025
According to multiple news reports, the company is replacing all the malfunctioning lights under warranty.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2025
Choppy text — a mix of computer code and poetry — runs across the malfunctioning images.
—Nicole Acheampong, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
Retail experts saw a lack of investment in Hudson’s Bay stores, diminishing service levels and deteriorating physical conditions, like malfunctioning escalators and water damage in certain locations.
—David Moin, WWD, 24 Mar. 2025
Jacob had been called out to the site hours before to investigate a malfunctioning pump and stopped answering his cellphone, according to criminal charges later filed against the company by the federal government.
—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 17 Mar. 2025
Industry veterans say other companies commonly provide temporary replacements while a patient with a malfunctioning device waits for a repair or a new, permanent one to arrive.
—Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 10 Mar. 2025
Verb
The Maricopa County medical examiner commonly finds that people who die in their homes had malfunctioning air conditioners.
—Catherine Reagor, AZCentral.com, 22 Aug. 2025
Thousands of fragments orbit Earth, left behind by collisions, missile tests, and malfunctioning spacecraft.
—Aamir Khollam, Interesting Engineering, 18 Aug. 2025
Katie and her delightfully dysfunctional family, voiced by Danny McBride and Maya Rudolph, plus two malfunctioning robots who join their quest, voiced by Fred Armisen and Beck Bennett.
—Emily Blackwood, People.com, 17 Aug. 2025
According to multiple news reports, the company is replacing all the malfunctioning lights under warranty.
—Elizabeth Weise, USA Today, 29 Mar. 2025
Choppy text — a mix of computer code and poetry — runs across the malfunctioning images.
—Nicole Acheampong, New York Times, 25 Mar. 2025
Retail experts saw a lack of investment in Hudson’s Bay stores, diminishing service levels and deteriorating physical conditions, like malfunctioning escalators and water damage in certain locations.
—David Moin, WWD, 24 Mar. 2025
Jacob had been called out to the site hours before to investigate a malfunctioning pump and stopped answering his cellphone, according to criminal charges later filed against the company by the federal government.
—Saul Elbein, The Hill, 17 Mar. 2025
Industry veterans say other companies commonly provide temporary replacements while a patient with a malfunctioning device waits for a repair or a new, permanent one to arrive.
—Peter Elkind, ProPublica, 10 Mar. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malfunctioning
Adjective
-
For her, the loss of $40 isn’t the real issue, but rather the broken trust and the strange turn the situation has taken.—
Ashley Vega,
PEOPLE,
4 Sep. 2025
-
As the family unravels, Genevieve must summon the courage to save her broken family – and herself – but not without a cost.—
Max Goldbart,
Deadline,
4 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
The Jays left two runners in scoring position with no outs in the third, failing to push the ball out of the infield to earn a lead.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
8 Sep. 2025
-
However, the former fifth-round pick faded over his final couple of years in the Windy City, failing to reach 500 yards receiving in either 2022 or 2023.—
Matthew Schmidt,
MSNBC Newsweek,
7 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Springer transformed from payroll anchor to potential down-ballot MVP candidate.—
Mitch Bannon,
New York Times,
4 Sep. 2025
-
Season 4 ended on a bit of a down note, with a major character death, and lots of family trouble for River Cartwright to navigate.—
Erik Kain,
Forbes.com,
3 Sep. 2025
Verb
-
Huger was charged in March after crashing a vehicle while driving in Potomac, Maryland.—
Jay Stahl,
USA Today,
3 Sep. 2025
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While relieving himself in the bathroom, a 100-pound bale of marijuana came crashing through the roof into the room the man had just left.—
Miami Herald Archives,
Miami Herald,
3 Sep. 2025
Adjective
-
Drivers say their contract issues center on pay as well as safety issues, including nonfunctioning heaters, loudspeakers and windshield wipers.—
Zaz Hollander,
Anchorage Daily News,
4 Feb. 2023
-
In 2020, the state of Virginia passed some bills limiting pretextual traffic stops—for example, when police spot nonfunctioning brake or tail lights or hear an overly loud exhaust system.—
Michael Tomasky,
The New Republic,
30 Jan. 2023
Adjective
-
When heading out to look for lamps, take a lightbulb along to test them in-store, but also consider rewiring nonfunctional pieces.—
Jennifer Prince,
Southern Living,
17 Aug. 2025
-
Lutnick was about to fly to London for a round of trade negotiations with China, whose restrictions on the sale of rare-earth metals were threatening to render parts of the American economy nonfunctional.—
Antonia Hitchens,
New Yorker,
21 July 2025
Adjective
-
Also inoperative the morning of the crash were the runway alignment indicator lights, which had not worked for more than three years.—
Karen Kucher,
San Diego Union-Tribune,
19 June 2025
-
But India, citing national security concerns, has publicly provided little evidence linking the attack to Pakistan, which denies involvement and says that Lashkar-e-Taiba is largely inoperative.—
Zia ur-Rehman,
New York Times,
29 Apr. 2025
Adjective
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These instances will be limited to unsafe or inoperable vehicles, which cannot be physically driven to the inspection location.—
Jade Jackson,
IndyStar,
2 Sep. 2025
-
Inflation started to take off on the heels of the new framework taking effect and eventually reached a four-decade peak in 2022, rendering the strategy inoperable.—
Arkansas Online,
Arkansas Online,
23 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Malfunctioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malfunctioning. Accessed 8 Sep. 2025.
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