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# malfunction

noun (a malfunction, malfunctions); verb (malfunction, malfunctions, malfunctioned, malfunctioning)

«malfunction» in the English dictionary: everyday — its meanings, how the lessons use it, and examples, each with its tree on Mova.

## Everyday

1. A failure of a machine or system to work properly. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#m1)
2. (verb) To stop working correctly: the traffic lights malfunctioned. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#m2)
3. (formal) A fault in how part of the body works. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#m3)

### In the lessons

Used in technology, science and news reports: computers, rockets, alarms and machines can malfunction. In safety lessons a malfunctioning smoke alarm must be fixed. In everyday talk people say «it broke» or «it's playing up». Phrases: a technical malfunction, an equipment malfunction.

### Examples

- The lift had a malfunction and stopped between floors. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#x1)
- Our printer keeps malfunctioning. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#x2)
- A computer malfunction delayed the flights. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#x3)
- If the smoke alarm malfunctions, tell an adult. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#x4)
- The robot malfunctioned and spun in circles. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#x5)
- The rocket launch was stopped because of a malfunction. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#x6)
- The traffic lights malfunctioned during the storm. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#x7)
- Engineers found the cause of the malfunction. [tree →](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/#x8)

### Note

Countable noun: malfunctions. Regular verb: malfunctioned. «mal-» means bad or wrong (as in malnutrition). Formal; casual talk: «broke down», «went wrong», «played up» (UK), «glitch».

## On Mova

- [Trees and pragmatics of «malfunction» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/corpora/dictionaries/school/M/malfunction/): every meaning and example parsed by Mova, with its dependency tree and frames.
- [«malfunction» in the school dictionary](https://mova.elamur.ai/free/en/dictionaries/school/w/malfunction.html) on Mova free.