dysfunctional
adjective
Paul C. LightTom EwingWarren E. BuffettChris Mooney
Did you know?
Dysfunctional and dysfunction have been used for almost a hundred years, often in medical writing ("brain dysfunction", "a dysfunctional liver") but also by social scientists ("a dysfunctional city council", "diplomatic dysfunction"). But they only really entered the general vocabulary in the 1980s, when therapists and talk-show hosts began talking about dysfunctional families. The signs of family dysfunction turned out to be numerous, and it soon began to seem as if pretty much all our families could be called dysfunctional.
Examples of dysfunctional in a Sentence
Michael McFaul, Foreign Affairs, 4 Apr. 2025
The statement worsened the morale of a dysfunctional squad that would deal with infighting — and an actual sideline fight between coordinators Kevin Gilbride and Buddy Ryan — throughout a strenuous 12-4 season that ended with a blown lead to the Kansas City Chiefs in the AFC divisional round.
—Brooks Kubena, New York Times, 28 Mar. 2025
Dexter Lawrence tried to be the guy as the team’s best player, but the weight of the dysfunctional season got to him.
—Pat Leonard, New York Daily News, 27 Mar. 2025
Don’t Believe Popular Impressions Family businesses are often perceived as corner candy stores or dysfunctional drama factories.
—Liz Kislik, Forbes, 26 Mar. 2025
See All Example Sentences for dysfunctional
Cite this Entry
“Dysfunctional.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/dysfunctional. Accessed 22 Apr. 2025.
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