functionality
Americannoun
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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:
Based on initial functionality, investors will likely be underwhelmed with the offerings in a consumer market this competitive, the analysts say.
From The Wall Street Journal ● Jun. 10, 2026
Ive’s design firm, LoveFrom, which he started in San-Francisco after leaving Apple, was brought in to try to meld the traditions of Ferrari with the new functionality and form allowed by a battery-powered engine.
From Los Angeles Times ● May 27, 2026
"We are uniquely positioned to offer delight, functionality and affordability," Filosa said in a statement, adding that "We have everything we need to deliver our FaSTLAne 2030 ambitions."
From Barron's ● May 21, 2026
“We believe that we are strongly positioned to compete and win based on what is now nearly two decades of work on the functionality, characteristics, cost and presentation of plant-based inputs,” he said.
From MarketWatch ● May 6, 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
The German carmaker said: "In our view, the emission control software functionalities are justifiable on both technical and legal grounds. We are actively considering all of our available options, including a potential appeal."
From BBC ● Jul. 10, 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
Google instead wants to blitz you with buggy new gizmos whose basic functionalities lack everything that made Google an empire, a verb, a dependable custodian of the information superhighway.
From Slate ● May 16, 2024
The researchers are now designing metalenses with complex functionalities -- such as color or wide-angle imaging -- and developing neural network methods for enhancing the imaging quality of these advanced metalenses.
From Science Daily ● May 15, 2024
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.
