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.
Rescuers were searching for the crew and passengers of a Qatari military helicopter that crashed in the Gulf state's waters after a "technical malfunction", the government said early Sunday.
From Barron's • Mar. 22, 2026
The report states that the fuze that was used in the exercise is “extremely reliable” and had only one previous recorded malfunction, in 2017.
From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026
Stranded out on track with a gearbox malfunction, he made it back to the pits where the team rushed to fix a problem they could not identify.
From BBC • Mar. 14, 2026
A KC-135 crashed in 2013 when a tanker taking off from a base in Kyrgyzstan experienced a flight-control-system malfunction.
From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026
“I just talked to Gillespie, and he told me that the radar malfunction of your bird was more serious than first reported.”
From "The Great Santini" by Pat Conroy
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.
