dysfunction
Americannoun
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Medicine/Medical. malfunctioning, as of an organ or structure of the body.
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any malfunctioning part or element.
the dysfunctions of the country's economy.
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Sociology. a consequence of a social practice or behavior pattern that undermines the stability of a social system.
noun
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med any disturbance or abnormality in the function of an organ or part
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(esp of a family) failure to show the characteristics or fulfil the purposes accepted as normal or beneficial
Other Word Forms
- dysfunctional adjective
Etymology
Origin of dysfunction
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
His unfiltered comments are part of his self-styled image as a maverick, which found traction in a nation where corruption, red tape and institutional dysfunction impact people's lives at every level.
From Barron's
Every family has its own unique dysfunction and competing agendas.
From MarketWatch
An overhaul of municipal water supply systems would address the "dysfunction" that had seen taps run dry in many towns and cities, he said, adding he would head a new National Water Crisis Committee.
From Barron's
A key focus was how this protein interacts with stem cells affected by telomere dysfunction.
From Science Daily
"One of the most exciting implications of this is that it may be one of the triggers for what comes later: dysfunction and disease."
From Science Daily
Definitions and idiom definitions from Dictionary.com Unabridged, based on the Random House Unabridged Dictionary, © Random House, Inc. 2023
Idioms from The American Heritage® Idioms Dictionary copyright © 2002, 2001, 1995 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company. Published by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Publishing Company.
