malfunction
Americannoun
verb (used without object)
verb
noun
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.
"Showing that the process of protein production loses fidelity with aging provides a kind of underlying rationale for why all these other processes start to malfunction with age," said Frydman.
From Science Daily • May 29, 2026
In March 2020, as global markets seized and the Treasury market began to malfunction, Powell and colleagues rushed out unprecedented emergency programs.
From The Wall Street Journal • May 14, 2026
Jet fuel is a complex product because of its transportation, segregation and storage requirements, and the dire consequences of a potential airplane-engine malfunction.
From MarketWatch • Apr. 28, 2026
They concerned the launch abort system, which enables Nasa engineers to eject the astronauts and blow up the rocket if there is a malfunction.
From BBC • Apr. 1, 2026
“Just because of a computer malfunction? Fine. It’s not my problem.”
From "Among the Hidden" by Margaret Peterson Haddix
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.
