- present participle of function.
functioning
Americanadjective
-
performing a specified action or activity; working; operating.
My son has only one functioning kidney.
-
(of a person with addiction or other illness or disability) able to cope with everyday life, as at home or at work: functioning diabetics.
a functioning alcoholic with a successful career;
functioning diabetics.
Etymology
Origin of functioning
First recorded in 1835–40; in 1970–75 functioning for def. 2; function ( def. ) (in the sense “to perform an action”) + -ing 2 ( def. )
Explanation
Something that is functioning is working — doing what it's supposed to do. A functioning refrigerator keeps your food cold. A functioning television shows a clear picture. A functioning group gets things done in an orderly and timely fashion. A function is the purpose that something is made for. A flashlight's function is to light up. But if it's not functioning, or working properly, you might need to change its batteries or buy a new one. If your car can get you from point A to point B but the engine sounds like it's going to die any minute, you might say that it is "barely functioning." Sometimes people use the word functional to mean the thing as functioning.
Vocabulary lists containing functioning
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
If the European Commission's preliminary views are confirmed, Teva's behaviour would infringe Article 102 of the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, which prohibits the abuse of a dominant position.
From Reuters • Oct. 10, 2022
Functioning in “island mode” supplies power for the residual heat removal of the reactor cores and the spent fuel pools.
From Seattle Times • Sep. 6, 2022
On a different test, the Global Assessment of Functioning, given by one of her therapists a year or so before the crime, Ms. Montgomery scored a 48.
From New York Times • Dec. 18, 2020
Functioning as both a shocking twist and rather callous statement that No-One Is Safe, it gave the slick drama an instant patina of edginess while generating a record-breaking number of complaints.
From The Guardian • Feb. 19, 2018
Functioning committees were formed to create and implement workable plans in the various important areas of activity as Tournament and Ranking, Exhibitions and Clinics, Promotions and Publicity, Finance, National Development, Membership, Referees and Rules, etc.
From Squash Tennis by Squires, Richard C.
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
