Dysfunction

/dɪsˈfʌŋkʃən/

Meaning & Definition

noun

abnormal or impaired functioning, especially of a bodily system or organ.

The patient was diagnosed with cardiac dysfunction, which explained his symptoms.

social behavior that is abnormal or impaired, often in a family or relationship context.

The family's constant arguments indicated severe dysfunction in their communication.

a disruption in the normal functioning of a system or process.

The software experienced a temporary dysfunction that caused it to crash unexpectedly.

The word dysfunction comes from the prefix 'dys-' meaning 'bad, difficult' and 'function' meaning 'the specific activity or role of something'.

family dysfunction

Impaired relationships or interactions among family members.

sexual dysfunction

Difficulty in sexual functioning or performance.

dysfunctional behavior

Actions that deviate from healthy or appropriate patterns.

malfunction

A failure to function properly.

disorder

A state of confusion or problem in functioning.

impairment

The state of being diminished or weakened.

Dysfunctional Family

The Smiths are such a dysfunctional family; they're always arguing.

Dysfunction Junction

He called his workplace 'Dysfunction Junction' due to all the chaos.