malfunctions

verb

present tense third-person singular of malfunction
as in fails
to fail to function or work properly A software problem is causing the system to malfunction.

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Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malfunctions
  1. fails
  2. crashes
Verb
  • Witchel, who built physics simulations to predict athletic injury before pivoting to cognitive care, argues that statistical AI fails at the individual level.
    — Geri Stengel, Forbes.com, 31 July 2026
  • In turn, there is a perception that the endeavor is one big cash grab, one that is not worth the risk of embarrassment if the film fails critically and/or commercially.
    — Marcus Jones, IndieWire, 31 July 2026
Definition of fails
Verb
  • By July 28, crashes on city streets had killed at least 28 more people.
    — Ariane Lange, Sacbee.com, 31 July 2026
  • Both were contributing factors to the February 2025 crash, which was one of Alaska's deadliest plane crashes this century.
    — ABC News, ABC News, 30 July 2026
Definition of crashes
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Browse Nearby Words

malfunctioning
malfunctions
malice
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Cite this Entry

“Malfunctions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malfunctions. Accessed 5 Aug. 2026.

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More from Merriam-Webster on malfunctions

Nglish: Translation of malfunctions for Spanish Speakers

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