Definition

A condition where something does not work properly or is not functioning as it should, often referring to a part of the body or a social group.

Example

The doctor explained that the patient's heart had a dysfunction that needed treatment.

Conversation

I was reading about family dysfunction and it really opened my eyes.

Yeah, it’s interesting how many families deal with that.

It makes me wonder how we can avoid that kind of dysfunction ourselves.

Communication is key; being open with each other helps a lot.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Dysfunction is formed from "dys-" (meaning bad or difficult) and "functio" (from Latin, meaning performance or function). The word describes a condition where something is not functioning properly or is impaired.

Memory Tip

Think of 'dys-' meaning bad or difficult, which helps you remember that 'dysfunction' refers to something that is not performing well.

Visually Confused Words