malfunction
noun
failure to function properly.
were malfunctioning
-
past progressiveof malfunction.past progressive
Used to describe an ongoing action or continuous state that was happening at a specific time in the past.
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.
So when I couldn’t use the phones one Thanksgiving because they were malfunctioning, a very common problem, I was despondent.
From Slate ● Dec. 14, 2023
One customer at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas said she had walked into the wrong room because the hotel's digital keys were malfunctioning, and said staff had to distribute physical keys.
From BBC ● Sep. 12, 2023
Some rooms were “out of order” because their doors or toilets were malfunctioning, the officials said, and plumbing issues left other units without hot water.
From Los Angeles Times ● Aug. 27, 2023
Ukrainian officials and military experts have said the pause in using drones — even as Russians continued to attack with missiles — could mean the devices were malfunctioning in Ukraine’s damp, subfreezing weather.
From New York Times ● Dec. 14, 2022
It’s not clear how many of the machines were malfunctioning in the state’s most populous county.
From Washington Times ● Nov. 8, 2022
