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Malfunctioning: meaning, definitions and examples

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malfunctioning

 

[ ˌmæl.fəŋk.ʃən.ɪŋ ]

Verb / Noun
Context #1 | Verb

equipment failure

To malfunction means to fail to function properly or as expected.

Synonyms

break down, faulty, not working

Examples of usage

  • The air conditioner is malfunctioning and needs to be repaired.
  • The printer is malfunctioning and is not printing any documents.
Context #2 | Noun

equipment failure

A malfunction is a failure to function properly.

Synonyms

breakdown, failure, glitch

Examples of usage

  • The car had a malfunction in its engine, causing it to stop suddenly.
  • The company experienced a malfunction in their computer system, leading to data loss.

Translations

Translations of the word "malfunctioning" in other languages:

🇵🇹 funcionamento inadequado

🇮🇳 खराबी

🇩🇪 Fehlfunktion

🇮🇩 kerusakan

🇺🇦 несправність

🇵🇱 awaria

🇯🇵 故障

🇫🇷 dysfonctionnement

🇪🇸 mal funcionamiento

🇹🇷 arızalı

🇰🇷 오작동

🇸🇦 عطل

🇨🇿 porucha

🇸🇰 porucha

🇨🇳 故障

🇸🇮 okvara

🇮🇸 bilun

🇰🇿 ақаулық

🇬🇪 მუშაობის გაუმართაობა

🇦🇿 nasazlıq

🇲🇽 mal funcionamiento

Etymology

The word 'malfunctioning' originated from the combination of 'mal-' meaning 'bad' or 'wrong' and 'function'. It first appeared in the mid-19th century in English, referring to the failure of equipment or machinery to operate correctly. The term has since been widely used in technical contexts to describe issues with devices, systems, or machinery not performing as intended.

Word Frequency Rank

At rank #25,646, this word represents specialized academic or technical vocabulary. It's less frequently encountered but may be valuable in specific contexts.