functionality
Americannoun
-
functionalities
plural
-
the quality of being functional, or being particularly suited to a specific task.
-
the set of functions that something, particularly a computer or piece of software, is designed or expected to perform.
noun
-
the quality of being functional
-
computing a function or range of functions in a computer, program, package, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Explanation
The functionality of something is its usefulness, or how well it does the job it's meant to do. You might question the functionality of your new smartphone if you can't get it to send simple text messages. The noun functionality is often used to talk about technology and the new things it's capable of: "The functionality of the new computer model is incredible!" But you can also use it in a general way, to mean "practicality" or "capability." So you might admire the functionality of your neighbor's very basic, simple backyard grill (as opposed to your fancy gas model), which works perfectly well to cook hamburgers.
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:
Moynihan said she’d like to build out more functionality for existing vehicle owners, like helping them plan ongoing maintenance.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Nov. 9, 2026
“Our AWS investment in functionality and infrastructure is working,” Amazon CEO Andy Jassy said in the company’s results release.
From MarketWatch ● Nov. 4, 2026
It isn't the first government to try this, but existing algorithm controls are often transient and come with trade-offs in app functionality.
From BBC ● Oct. 16, 2026
"This was a truly international collaboration involving experts from different fields, all working together to shed light on the possible functionality of these magnetofossils," said Valencia.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
Emotion, functionality and the everyday experience of music: Where does music education fit?
From "Music and the Child" by Natalie Sarrazin
![]()
Another scenario would be that the partnership leads customers to unlock new functionalities and value from Salesforce’s data.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026
The German carmaker said: "In our view, the emission control software functionalities are justifiable on both technical and legal grounds. We are actively considering all of our available options, including a potential appeal."
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 2026
Downdetector data showed, though users continued to report issues with some functionalities.
From Barron's ● Jun. 12, 2026
Further research into the different functionalities of vitamin D2 and D3 should be a priority in deciding whether vitamin D3 should be the first-line choice of vitamin D supplement, subject to individual requirements.
From Science Daily ● May 23, 2026
OpenAI is discontinuing its Sora video platform app and other video functionalities as part of a strategic shift.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026
Random Word
Spin the wheel and learn a new word!
Get a wordDefinitions 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.