mal·func·tion
ˌmal-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən 
malfunctioned; malfunctioning; malfunctions
: to function imperfectly or badly : fail to operate normally
plural malfunctions
: a failure to operate or function in the normal or correct manner : the action or an instance of malfunctioning
a hardware/equipment malfunction
Once thought to be a disease itself dropsy is now known to be a sign of several kinds of body malfunction, especially congestive heart failure and kidney disease.—
C. Clairborne Ray
C. Clairborne RayIn schizophrenia this filtering system malfunctions or short-circuits. This malfunction causes people to misevaluate what they see, hear, and experience in their environment.—Richard Crino
Richard Crino
Did you know?
A malfunctioning switch might keep us from turning on a light. A malfunctioning heart valve might require replacement with an artificial valve, and if your immune system malfunctions it may start to attack healthy cells. And a malfunction in a voting machine could result in hundreds of votes being miscounted.
Examples of malfunction in a Sentence
Verb
A software problem is causing the system to malfunction.
Recent Examples on the Web
Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2024
Dominion has fought multiple legal battles to clear its name from an array of lawsuits claiming its machines malfunctioned or otherwise manipulated the 2020 election results.
—Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
Several bicycles were now wounded by the roadside, victims of loose pedal bolts, chain malfunctions and flat tires.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malfunction 
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Verb
An investigation later found that the system had malfunctioned because a contractor, while working to synchronize two databases, had accidentally deleted files.
—Joshua Rothman, The New Yorker, 29 Oct. 2024
Dominion has fought multiple legal battles to clear its name from an array of lawsuits claiming its machines malfunctioned or otherwise manipulated the 2020 election results.
—Nate Trela, USA TODAY, 24 Oct. 2024
Noun
When millions of Americans head to the polls on Tuesday, some voters might encounter minor issues including equipment malfunctions or delays.
—Peter Charalambous, ABC News, 4 Nov. 2024
Several bicycles were now wounded by the roadside, victims of loose pedal bolts, chain malfunctions and flat tires.
—Tom Mullen, Forbes, 27 Oct. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malfunction
Dictionary Entries Near malfunction
Cite this Entry
“Malfunction.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/malfunction. Accessed 21 Nov. 2024.
Copy CitationKids Definition
malfunction
verb
mal·func·tion
(ˈ)mal-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən
: to fail to function or operate properly
malfunction
noun
Medical Definition
malfunction
intransitive verb
mal·func·tion
(ˈ)mal-ˈfəŋ(k)-shən
: to function imperfectly or badly : fail to operate in the normal or usual manner
malfunctioning kidneys
malfunction
noun
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