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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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
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
Shake Shack denied charging “no tip” fees after a viral TikTok appeared to show menu prices jumping when a customer declined a gratuity, blaming the error on a kiosk malfunction.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 12, 2026
Only one customer had complained that he believed the blanket made his heart pacemaker malfunction, but there was no injury and no lawsuit.
From "Things Not Seen" by Andrew Clements
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
Those recorded cues act as a fail-safe against technical malfunctions during the broadcast, though the orchestra aims to play everything live.
From Los Angeles Times ● Mar. 13, 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
Strong solar storms however bring more than just stunning light displays -- they can also disrupt communication systems and cause satellite malfunctions and power grid overloads.
From Barron's ● Nov. 13, 2025
“Whenever an engine malfunctions, I like to tap-dance around it. Works every time.”
From "The House of Hades" by Rick Riordan
The transmission malfunctioned in his 1978 boat, Miss Julie, which he also uses for crabbing.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Aug. 21, 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
The Russian pilot fired two missiles, the first of which missed rather than malfunctioned as claimed at the time.
From BBC ● May 20, 2026
When the equipment abruptly malfunctioned, Jim went on alone, hitting a few sour notes.
From "Mountains Beyond Mountains" by Tracy Kidder and Michael French
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
In Italy, courts in Palermo, Sicily, said they were suspending all non-urgent hearings until June 29 due to "malfunctioning air conditioning" while teaching unions in France called for strike action over "unacceptable working conditions".
From Barron's ● Jun. 25, 2026
An experimental treatment that resets a malfunctioning immune system has put the disease lupus into remission in early UK trials.
From BBC ● Jun. 11, 2026
That, as we will soon learn, is the ultimate disease of malfunctioning genes—cancer.
From "The Gene" by Siddhartha Mukherjee
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.
