dysfunction

American  

[dis-fuhngk-shuhn] / dɪsˈfʌŋk ʃən /

noun

• dysfunctions
  plural

1. Medicine/Medical. malfunctioning, as of an organ or structure of the body.

2. any malfunctioning part or element.

   the dysfunctions of the country's economy.

3. Sociology. a consequence of a social practice or behavior pattern that undermines the stability of a social system.

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dysfunction British  

/ dɪsˈfʌŋkʃən /

noun

1. med any disturbance or abnormality in the function of an organ or part

2. (esp of a family) failure to show the characteristics or fulfil the purposes accepted as normal or beneficial

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Other Word Forms

Derived Forms

• dysfunctional
  adjective

Inflected Forms

Nouns

• dysfunctions
  plural

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Etymology

Origin of dysfunction

First recorded in 1915–20; dys- + function

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Explanation

If there's dysfunction, then things aren't working right. High blood pressure is a medical dysfunction, and fighting amongst teammates is a kind of social dysfunction. If you know that function means to work, then you shouldn't be surprised that dysfunction means something isn't working. Blind people have an optical dysfunction. A family that yells all the time and never listens has a communication dysfunction. If your car breaks down, it has some kind of mechanical dysfunction. But if everything is going smoothly? You're dysfunction-free.

Example Sentences

See Examples For:

dysfunction dysfunctions

"This suggests that both molecular and architectural changes may contribute to persistent taste dysfunction."

From Science Daily ● Oct. 19, 2026

Demagogues and electoral dysfunction are nothing new, as he acknowledges.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Oct. 7, 2026

"Those who are doing their job and trying to do their job should be properly remunerated for it but unfortunately some are prevented from doing that by the dysfunction".

From BBC ● Sep. 17, 2026

But a rapid jump in yields can signal forced selling in the market or a dysfunction that could spiral.

From MarketWatch ● Sep. 1, 2026

Pulling back each of Fig’s ears and peeking inside, Dr. Spires babbled on about chemical waste and blood and dysfunction.

From "Sir Fig Newton and the Science of Persistence" by Sonja Thomas

"There was a very structured 50-year-long reflection on themes that may seem light, but are in fact about our Western world, about the dysfunctions of our Western world," curator Quentin Bajac told AFP.

From Barron's ● Jan. 30, 2026

“Successive dysfunctions have brought us to catastrophe,” said Guy Tubiana, museum security adviser at the Culture Ministry.

From The Wall Street Journal ● Dec. 10, 2025

The results were striking: the compound not only lowered blood sugar and improved insulin responsiveness but also addressed broader metabolic dysfunctions through a previously underexplored biological route.

From Science Daily ● Nov. 7, 2025

The agency said he died Tuesday after being treated for age-related illnesses and multiple organ dysfunctions for the past year.

From Seattle Times ● May 7, 2024

These living arrangements - more adapted to rustic open spaces than to high rises - led to severe social and psychological dysfunctions.

From After the Rain : how the West lost the East by Samuel Vaknin

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Related Words

• breakdown
• defectiveness
• derangement
• disorder
• disorderedness
• failure
• impairment
• maladjustment
• pathology

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