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.

Related Words

Relevance

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malfunctions
  1. fails
  2. crashes
Verb
  • Jewelry is the gift that never fails, and this year's ready-to-wrap sparklers are certain to be cherished for a lifetime.
    — Kelsey Legg, ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026
  • The man suffers an allergic reaction, Allan’s amateur attempt at first aid fails and the client dies.
    — Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of fails
Verb
  • But there’s a Marie Antoinette-style similarity between Hussein’s narcissist tendencies and Trump’s obsession with all that glitters — from the water in the reflecting pool to the walls of the Oval Office — even as the economy crashes.
    — Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 30 Oct. 2026
  • Their plans are derailed when Joseph accidentally crashes into free-spirited Nora’s (DeVitto) RV at a rest stop.
    — Rachel LaBonte, Entertainment Weekly, 29 Oct. 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
See all Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Malfunctions.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malfunctions. Accessed 14 Nov. 2026.

Copy Citation
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences

Popular in Grammar & Usage

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

31 Useful Rhetorical Devices

More Commonly Misspelled Words

Merriam-Webster’s Great Big List of Words You Love to Hate

'Affect' vs. 'Effect'
See More

Popular in Wordplay

See More

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't

The Longest Long Words List

The Words of the Week - Nov. 13

Even More Bird Names that Sound Like Insults (and Sometimes Are)
See More

Popular

See More

How to Use 'Who' vs. 'Whom'

Great Big List of Beautiful and Useless Words, Vol. 5

9 Words That Sound Like Insults But Aren't
See More

Games & Quizzes

See All
Play Quordle: Guess all four words in a limited number of tries. Each of your guesses must be a real 5-letter word.
Quordle Can you solve 4 words at once?
Play Blossom: Solve today's spelling word game by finding as many words as you can using just 7 letters. Longer words score more points.
Blossom Pick the best words!
Play Missing Letter: a crossword with a twist. Each of the 25 puzzle words start with a different letter of the alphabet. Which letter is missing?
The Missing Letter A daily crossword with a twist
speech-bubble-untangle
Simplify The Convoluted Expression Quiz A quiz that’s as “uncomplicated as a round de...
See All