functioning
Americanadjective
-
performing a specified action or activity; working; operating.
My son has only one functioning kidney.
-
(of a person with addiction or other illness or disability) able to cope with everyday life, as at home or at work: functioning diabetics.
a functioning alcoholic with a successful career;
functioning diabetics.
Etymology
Origin of functioning
First recorded in 1835–40; in 1970–75 functioning for def. 2; function ( def. ) (in the sense “to perform an action”) + -ing 2 ( def. )
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.
Federal Judge for the Southern District of Florida, said that district courts are “still functioning,” but warned that her colleagues are growing frightened in the current climate, which she called “very dangerous.”
From Salon
“You’re overwhelmed with the checklist when somebody dies. Having some sensitivity and ease in functioning is important.”
From MarketWatch
French agriculture minister Annie Genevard said the decision was "very damaging to the functioning of our institutions and, above all, to the spirit of our European institutions".
From Barron's
"Simply creating an organisation on paper is utterly meaningless; the question is how we can turn it into a truly living, functioning body," he said.
From Barron's
The court proved that there are safeguards in place for the functioning of the rule of law in Greece.
From BBC
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.
