malfunction
Other forms: malfunctioning; malfunctions; malfunctioned
To malfunction is to fail to work properly. If your toaster spits out a charred, smoky mess no matter what setting it’s on, your toaster is definitely malfunctioning.
When something functions, it works. Adding the prefix -mal (meaning "bad") to function indicates bad or unsuccessful functioning. When a computer malfunctions, you could lose your data. A malfunctioning car could cause an accident or leave you stranded. This word is typically used in reference to technology, tools, and gadgets. However, if you make a stupid mistake, you might joke that your brain has malfunctioned.
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fail to function or function improperly“the coffee maker malfunctioned”synonyms: glitch, misfunction
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a failure to work normallysynonyms: glitchtypes:blowouta sudden malfunction of a part or apparatusstalla malfunction in the flight of an aircraft in which there is a sudden loss of lift that results in a downward plungedysfunctiona failure to sustain social norms or expected conditionstype of:failurean event that does not accomplish its intended purpose
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Vocabulary lists containing malfunction
Hoping to hunt dinosaurs, Eckels hires Time Safari Inc. to take him back in time — but when he disobeys his guide's instructions, he puts the entire future in jeopardy. Here are links to our lists for other works by Ray Bradbury: Fahrenheit 451, The Martian Chronicles, All Summer in a Day, August 2026, Marionettes, Inc., The Black Ferris, The Drummer Boy of Shiloh, The Flying Machine, The Pedestrian, The Veldt
Mariam and Laila belong to different generations, but they develop a deep bond as their home city of Kabul, Afghanistan becomes more dangerous.
This satirical novel imagines a dystopian future in which people have computers implanted in their heads to control their perceptions of reality.