- 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.
Another concern for the BOE is the behavior of new AI models, some of which “have taken unexpected actions” and could potentially disrupt the functioning of computer networks essential to the financial system.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
“A sufficiently powerful system functioning within a self-reinforcing loop risks reducing the ability of society to exercise meaningful oversight and intervention,” Bailey wrote.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 30, 2026
Metabolites are small molecules circulating through the bloodstream that can provide clues about how the body is functioning.
From Science Daily ● Sep. 28, 2026
However, Atak was seen during 90 minutes of aerial footage to be piloting the vessel using its one remaining functioning engine, the court heard.
From BBC ● Sep. 18, 2026
They had been headed for the emergency room at Beaverville Hospital but maybe the hospital wasn’t functioning.
From "Earthquake Terror" by Peg Kehret
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.
