malfunctioning 1 of 2

adjective

as in down
not being in working order a malfunctioning computer cost us days of work

Synonyms & Similar Words

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Antonyms & Near Antonyms

malfunctioning

2 of 2

verb

present participle of malfunction
as in failing
to fail to function or work properly A software problem is causing the system to malfunction.

Related Words

Dissimilar Words

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of malfunctioning
Adjective
Homeowners reported a swift meeting at which officers discussed a reorganization of their specific duties and the hiring of an elevator expert to fix the chronically malfunctioning, overloaded elevators. — Linda Robertson, Miami Herald, 15 Aug. 2026 Watching the first episode of Ultimate Girl’s Trip is like riding in a malfunctioning time machine. — Brian Moylan, Vulture, 10 Aug. 2026 Nuggets, wings, manchurian mix, lentils and chicken were stored above proper holding temperatures in a malfunctioning refrigerator unit. — Vince Basada august 7, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Edmiston arrived on a separate boat to help the group with the malfunctioning vessel, and denies having any role in Wells’ death, his family said in a statement shared with PEOPLE. — Sam Gillette, PEOPLE, 31 July 2026 Oen Sujet’s catalog sounds equally like the product of a random number generator or a malfunctioning algorithm as of a deeply mercurial artist. — Maxie Younger, Pitchfork, 24 July 2026 The Orange County District Attorney’s Office has opened an investigation into the owner of a malfunctioning chemical storage tank in Garden Grove that has forced the evacuation of tens of thousands of residents as fire crews race to avoid an explosion. — Sean Emery, Oc Register, 24 May 2026 Despite the accomplishments, Artemis II astronauts had to contend with a more mundane problem -- a malfunctioning space toilet. — Arkansas Online, 12 Apr. 2026 Despite the accomplishments, Artemis II astronauts had to contend with a more mundane problem — a malfunctioning space toilet. — Marcia Dunn, Los Angeles Times, 11 Apr. 2026
Verb
Deaths apparently caused by malfunctioning or inaccessible doorhandles, have led to regulatory changes in China, prompting the widespread recalls involving nine automakers. — Lora Kolodny, CNBC, 21 Aug. 2026 But reports suggest initial enrollment takes longer, and has been slowed down by malfunctioning equipment, technical bugs, insufficient personnel, and inconsistent implementation across crossings. — Miranda Jeyaretnam, Time, 12 Aug. 2026 Construction workers clung to a malfunctioning crane Friday as its arm collapsed onto the pool deck of a neighboring luxury high-rise in Miami, video shot by a bystander showed. — James Cirrone, FOXNews.com, 11 Aug. 2026 Park staff told inspectors that the water-recirculation equipment had recently been changed and that the pool filter was malfunctioning and leaking. — Verónica Egui Brito, Miami Herald, 10 Aug. 2026 Additionally, potatoes, chicken, tofu and fish were stored above proper temperatures in a malfunctioning walk-in refrigerator. — Vince Basada august 7, Sacbee.com, 7 Aug. 2026 Warning Signs of an Aging Refrigerator It’s easy to panic when a refrigerator starts malfunctioning. — Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 6 Aug. 2026 The surging popularity of democratic socialism on the left wing of American politics reflects the same dynamic—an embrace of socialism in theory that is, in practice, a complaint about malfunctioning consumer capitalism. — Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 5 Aug. 2026 In Braham, located in a more rural area north of Minneapolis, public works personnel also discovered the problem Monday after noticing the well supplying the city's water tower was malfunctioning. — Nicole Sganga, CBS News, 31 July 2026
Recent Examples of Synonyms for malfunctioning
  1. down
  2. failing
  3. nonfunctioning
  4. crashing
  5. broken
  6. nonfunctional
  7. inoperative
  8. inoperable
Adjective
  • The bedspread gives you all of the fluffy loft without risking overheating, thanks to its breathable down-alternative fill and box-stitch design that keeps it evenly distributed.
    — Better Homes & Gardens, Better Homes & Gardens, 27 Aug. 2026
  • Atwell is a hometown hero from his high school days as a quarterback for Miami Northwestern High, leading the storied football program back to a state championship as a senior after a down stretch of seasons.
    — David Furones, Sun Sentinel, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of down
Verb
  • In a statement given to the The Athletic on Wednesday, Hampshire Police confirmed that Sterling had been charged with dangerous driving, possession of nitrous oxide for wrongful inhalation and failing to provide a specimen.
    — Jessica Hopkins, New York Times, 26 Aug. 2026
  • Last Year The Cowboys experienced a bizarre, roller-coaster 2025 season, ultimately finishing 7-9-1 and failing to qualify for the postseason.
    — David Troy OutKick, FOXNews.com, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of failing
Adjective
  • Drivers say their contract issues center on pay as well as safety issues, including nonfunctioning heaters, loudspeakers and windshield wipers.
    — Zaz Hollander, Anchorage Daily News, 4 Feb. 2023
  • In 2020, the state of Virginia passed some bills limiting pretextual traffic stops—for example, when police spot nonfunctioning brake or tail lights or hear an overly loud exhaust system.
    — Michael Tomasky, The New Republic, 30 Jan. 2023
Definition of nonfunctioning
Verb
  • Experts said it was most likely caused by a partial glacier collapse that sent tons of ice and rock crashing down into the valley below, setting off a powerful landslide.
    — Jennifer Jett, NBC news, 27 Aug. 2026
  • But Maddy can’t run away forever, and her past comes crashing into her new Italian life in the most chaotic way imaginable.
    — Lily Ford, HollywoodReporter, 26 Aug. 2026
Definition of crashing
Adjective
  • Casper Kelly, the delightfully skewed sensibility behind Adult Swim’s ‘Too Many Cooks,’ makes a first theatrical feature that feels like a broken time loop.
    — Robert Abele, Los Angeles Times, 28 Aug. 2026
  • Mass spectrometry revealed that the broken containers had once held something containing the chemical compounds theobromine, theophylline, caffeine, and paraxanthine.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of broken
Adjective
  • Peekachu, for example, has a nonfunctional right eye, while Secord enjoys moving enrichment items around the habitat with her mouth.
    — Finnegan Belleau, Chicago Tribune, 13 Aug. 2026
  • In most populations around the world, many of these genes have accumulated mutations over time that have left about 60 percent of them nonfunctional.
    — Willow Zhang, Scientific American, 11 Aug. 2026
Definition of nonfunctional
Adjective
  • If the main engines were to become inoperative, six smaller orbit-control thrusters can still be activated on the lunar surface, providing an alternative pathway for a rapid ascent.
    — Bojan Stojkovski, Interesting Engineering, 14 June 2026
  • And there’s been plenty of media focus since then — including on inoperative toilets.
    — Michael Peregrine, Chicago Tribune, 8 Apr. 2026
Definition of inoperative
Adjective
  • Once authorities seized them, the Justice Department says QScan and QTRouter became inoperable.
    — Kurt Knutsson, FOXNews.com, 28 Aug. 2026
  • The Kia Sportage was stuck on the lip of one end of the bridge, causing the span to become inoperable, the sheriff’s office said.
    — David Goodhue, Miami Herald, 27 Aug. 2026
Definition of inoperable

Browse Nearby Words

malfunctioned
malfunctioning
malfunctions
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Cite this Entry

“Malfunctioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malfunctioning. Accessed 1 Sep. 2026.

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