- 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.
A worst-case scenario would mean losing services "you depend upon: the policemen arriving, the fire brigade arriving, the hospital functioning, the transport giving you a ride from point A to B."
From Barron's ● Nov. 10, 2026
The few shops still functioning are boarded up – making it hard to distinguish what is still open.
From BBC ● Nov. 10, 2026
Most beauty workers functioning at the top of their game are artists at heart.
From Los Angeles Times ● Nov. 9, 2026
Drinking two to three cups of caffeinated coffee per day was associated with the most favorable outcomes for dementia risk and cognitive functioning.
From Science Daily ● Nov. 7, 2026
“We can’t send the last functioning Glitchers our nation has back to the past to hunt for explosives,” he said.
From "Glitch" by Laura Martin
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Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
