malfunction
Americannoun
-
malfunctions
plural
verb (used without object)
-
malfunctions,
present (3rd person singular)
-
malfunctioned,
past participle, past
-
malfunctioning
present participle
verb
noun
Other Word Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Participles
Conjugated Forms
Present
-
malfunctionsimple
-
malfunctionssimple
-
have malfunctionedperfect
-
has malfunctionedperfect
-
am malfunctioningprogressive
-
are malfunctioningprogressive
-
is malfunctioningprogressive
-
have been malfunctioningperfect progressive
-
has been malfunctioningperfect progressive
Past
-
malfunctionedsimple
-
had malfunctionedperfect
-
was malfunctioningprogressive
-
were malfunctioningprogressive
-
had been malfunctioningperfect progressive
Future
Etymology
Origin of malfunction
Explanation
To malfunction is to fail to work properly. If your toaster spits out a charred, smoky mess no matter what setting it’s on, your toaster is definitely malfunctioning. When something functions, it works. Adding the prefix -mal (meaning "bad") to function indicates bad or unsuccessful functioning. When a computer malfunctions, you could lose your data. A malfunctioning car could cause an accident or leave you stranded. This word is typically used in reference to technology, tools, and gadgets. However, if you make a stupid mistake, you might joke that your brain has malfunctioned.
Vocabulary lists containing malfunction
"A Sound of Thunder" by Ray Bradbury
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A Thousand Splendid Suns
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Feed
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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.
See Examples For:
After a delay for a PitchCom malfunction, Skubal gave up a leadoff double to Detroit’s Gleyber Torres on a fastball down the middle.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 29, 2026
Volatility was contained, and trading was orderly—not a malfunction but the machine doing its job.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 24, 2026
When gene activation goes wrong, cells can malfunction and contribute to diseases, including cancer.
From Science Daily ● Aug. 23, 2026
We’ve had water treatment failures, chemical imbalances brought on by malfunction, E. coli contamination, and the people of Flint, Michigan, of course, appreciate the criticality of clean water better than anyone in the country.
From Slate ● Aug. 19, 2026
“Local residents in West Oakland are concerned about the installation of metal detectors at West Oakland High after a malfunction in the equipment momentarily harmed a student,” the man said.
From "Anger Is a Gift" by Mark Oshiro
Extremely structured to this day, if something throws off Freeman’s schedule, his “robot mind,” as he puts it, malfunctions.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 25, 2026
In a tongue-in-cheek post to Instagram, Glass Animals - best known for their 2020 sleeper-hit Heat Waves - claimed culpability for the lunar lavatory malfunctions.
From BBC ● Apr. 10, 2026
Apple’s successes are famous, but Mr. Pogue doesn’t steer away from discussing the dead-end products and corporate malfunctions.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 6, 2026
Satellites passing through this region are exposed to elevated levels of radiation, increasing the risk of technical malfunctions, hardware damage, and even temporary outages.
From Science Daily ● Feb. 25, 2026
First they discovered bird droppings in their detector and checked for other possible malfunctions, but soon ruled these out.
From "A Brief History of Time: And Other Essays" by Stephen Hawking
The transmission malfunctioned in his 1978 boat, Miss Julie, which he also uses for crabbing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 2026
The chunky metal box malfunctioned, initially leaving more than 100,000 people without power.
From BBC ● Jul. 1, 2026
Roa later told authorities that he had planned to attend the UFC event only as a protester, but his vehicle malfunctioned and he had to return home.
From Los Angeles Times ● Jun. 17, 2026
The vehicle had coasted through space but was not in exactly the correct orbit after one of its engines malfunctioned during an initial burn.
From Barron's ● May 22, 2026
I can’t believe in the middle of all this, you went and got malfunctioned.
From "Feed" by M.T. Anderson
Scott is fascinated by the character, a malfunctioning AI.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 26, 2026
Devices are at most risk when they are overcharged, malfunctioning or damaged, which can cause components to break down and release excess heat.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jul. 18, 2026
I have a similar complaint, but this relates to a toilet that is malfunctioning.
From MarketWatch ● Jun. 10, 2026
The first attempted launch on Thursday was postponed due to a malfunctioning hydraulic pin in the launch tower.
From BBC ● May 23, 2026
But the autopilot on the plane was malfunctioning, and it had been switched off.
From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell
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.
