as in to fail
to fail to function or work properly
A software problem is causing the system to malfunction.
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Recent Examples of malfunction
That was the case on New Year's, but bollards blocking vehicle traffic from entering the street have been malfunctioning since they were installed about a decade ago, New Orleans Mayor LaToya Cantrell said.
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Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 2 Jan. 2025
Security barriers in New Orleans that were intended to protect pedestrians from vehicles but at times malfunctioned were removed for replacement before an attacker drove a pickup truck into a crowd along Bourbon Street on Wednesday morning, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more.
—Daniella Silva, NBC News, 1 Jan. 2025
Miller noted that the part of the gondola that had malfunctioned was removed and a new part was being installed Sunday afternoon.
—Samira Said, ABC News, 22 Dec. 2024
Officials have suggested the plane’s landing gear malfunctioned before landing, despite there being no signs of malfunction during maintenance checks before the plane departed from Bangkok, according to Kim E-bae, Jeju Air’s CEO.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malfunction 
Chelsea Brasted, Axios, 2 Jan. 2025
Security barriers in New Orleans that were intended to protect pedestrians from vehicles but at times malfunctioned were removed for replacement before an attacker drove a pickup truck into a crowd along Bourbon Street on Wednesday morning, killing at least 15 people and injuring dozens more.
—Daniella Silva, NBC News, 1 Jan. 2025
Miller noted that the part of the gondola that had malfunctioned was removed and a new part was being installed Sunday afternoon.
—Samira Said, ABC News, 22 Dec. 2024
Officials have suggested the plane’s landing gear malfunctioned before landing, despite there being no signs of malfunction during maintenance checks before the plane departed from Bangkok, according to Kim E-bae, Jeju Air’s CEO.
—Ty Roush, Forbes, 29 Dec. 2024
See all Example Sentences for malfunction
Thesaurus Entries Near malfunction
Cite this Entry
“Malfunction.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malfunction. Accessed 20 Jan. 2025.
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