functionality
Americannoun
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functionalities
plural
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the quality of being functional, or being particularly suited to a specific task.
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the set of functions that something, particularly a computer or piece of software, is designed or expected to perform.
noun
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the quality of being functional
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computing a function or range of functions in a computer, program, package, etc
Other Word Forms
Derived Forms
Inflected Forms
Nouns
Explanation
The functionality of something is its usefulness, or how well it does the job it's meant to do. You might question the functionality of your new smartphone if you can't get it to send simple text messages. The noun functionality is often used to talk about technology and the new things it's capable of: "The functionality of the new computer model is incredible!" But you can also use it in a general way, to mean "practicality" or "capability." So you might admire the functionality of your neighbor's very basic, simple backyard grill (as opposed to your fancy gas model), which works perfectly well to cook hamburgers.
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:
Buildings are assessed across a range of criteria, including design vision, innovation, sustainability, functionality, and the ability to delight users and visitors.
From BBC ● Oct. 15, 2026
"This was a truly international collaboration involving experts from different fields, all working together to shed light on the possible functionality of these magnetofossils," said Valencia.
From Science Daily ● Oct. 2, 2026
Questions remain about its price tag and functionality, given that state departments have different ways of recording contracts and payments.
From Los Angeles Times ● Oct. 1, 2026
He said, “If you’re not confident in its functionality, capability or safety, then don’t release it.”
From The Wall Street Journal ● Sep. 27, 2026
He volunteered to be one of six people in the country to go under the knife for experimental brain surgery that would possibly provide him with a few more years of functionality.
From "Geeks: How Two Lost Boys Rode the Internet Out of Idaho" by Jon Katz
Another scenario would be that the partnership leads customers to unlock new functionalities and value from Salesforce’s data.
From MarketWatch ● Sep. 11, 2026
The government will also look at restrictions on some functionalities on social media, such as infinite scroll and curfews, for 16 and 17-year-olds.
From BBC ● Jun. 15, 2026
OpenAI is discontinuing its Sora video platform app and other video functionalities as part of a strategic shift.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Mar. 24, 2026
Alibaba also introduced an AI chat assistant for its Quark app, integrating dialogue and search functionalities.
From Barron's ● Oct. 23, 2025
Consequently, products with advanced functionalities will reach the market faster than what has been previously possible.
From Science Daily ● Apr. 1, 2024
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Get a wordDefinitions 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.
