MALFUNCTIONING Synonyms: 59 Similar and Opposite Words

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

starting (up)

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

The David character is a malfunctioning AI android who was a maintenance crew member on the Prometheus. — Pat Saperstein, Variety, 26 Aug. 2026 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

Recent Examples of Synonyms for malfunctioning

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

Golden and Gluesenkamp Perez provided the margin to prevent a tie, which under House rules is the same as a measure failing outright.

— Hailey Bullis, The Washington Examiner, 2 Sep. 2026
Set against the competitive world of Fleet Street, Murdoch purchases the failing Sun and recruits Lamb, a working-class editor with a very different idea of what a newspaper can be.

— Lily Brown, PEOPLE, 2 Sep. 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

Another crash in a difficult cycle The golf champion failed a sobriety test in March after crashing his car not far from his home in Martin County, Florida, according to an arrest affidavit.

— Holly Yan, CNN Money, 1 Sep. 2026
Agile organizations must know how to stay steady with each crashing wave without losing their balance.

— Tonushree Mondal, Forbes.com, 1 Sep. 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

Days said the focus of the project is not changing the machine's appearance or replacing a piece of Pittsburgh history, but repairing the internal components that have long been nonfunctional.

— Gabby Sartori, USA Today, 1 Sep. 2026
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

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

Style

“Malfunctioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/malfunctioning. Accessed 5 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of malfunctioning

adjective

verb

Example Sentences

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Cite this Entry

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