functioning

American

[fuhngk-shuh-ning] / ˈfʌŋk ʃə nɪŋ /

adjective

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.

Keep Reading on Vocabulary.com

Vocabulary lists containing functioning

A Tangle of Knots

Looking to grow your vocabulary? Check out this interactive, curated word list from our team of English language specialists at Vocabulary.com – one of over 17,000 lists we've built to help learners worldwide!

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.

"He had a functioning walkie talkie with extra batteries," Angfurba says.

From BBC • Jun. 10, 2026

Although there is currently no cure for hearing loss or tinnitus, available treatments can help improve daily functioning and quality of life.

From Science Daily • Jun. 10, 2026

The new AI-powered Siri understands on-device context as well as general world knowledge, functioning like a chatbot that can find files, draft messages and answer queries.

From MarketWatch • Jun. 9, 2026

For now, the fish are functioning fine in their adopted creek.

From Los Angeles Times • Jun. 9, 2026

I imagined them just shutting off like factory machines at the end of a shift: functioning, purposeful, and then just out.

From "The Marrow Thieves" by Cherie Dimaline

Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023