dysfunction

dysfunction — noun

1. a condition in which an organ, a limb, or a piece of equipment does not work in

1.nounB2
Definition

a condition in which an organ, a limb, or a piece of equipment does not work in the normal or expected way

Example

Arjun's doctor told him his liver dysfunction was caused by a long-term viral infection.

collocation: liver dysfunction / kidney dysfunction

The mechanic found a serious dysfunction in the car's braking system before the test drive.

Common collocations
  • liver dysfunction
  • kidney dysfunction
  • cardiac dysfunction
  • sexual dysfunction
  • cognitive dysfunction
Synonyms
  • malfunction

    more common for machines and devices; less common for body parts

  • impairment

    more formal and general; often used for physical or mental abilities

  • disorder

    broader in meaning; covers any medical condition, not just problems with functioning

Antonyms

Grammar Patterns

dysfunction + of + [body part / machine]

[organ] dysfunction

Usage Note

Often used in medical contexts with a specific organ name placed before the word, such as liver dysfunction or kidney dysfunction. Can be countable (a dysfunction) when referring to one specific problem, or uncountable when discussing the condition in general.

Common Mistakes

He was diagnosed with dysfunction.
He was diagnosed with liver dysfunction.
In medical English, dysfunction usually needs a specific organ or system named before it.

2. a breakdown of healthy communication or behaviour within a group such as a famil

2.nounB2
Definition

a breakdown of healthy communication or behaviour within a group such as a family, an organisation, or a society, causing them to stop functioning well together

Example

The therapist worked with the Kwame family to address the growing dysfunction in their daily communication.

collocation: family dysfunction

Years of political dysfunction kept the country from building new schools or hospitals for its people.

pattern: political dysfunction / social dysfunction

Common collocations
  • family dysfunction
  • social dysfunction
  • political dysfunction
  • organizational dysfunction
  • marital dysfunction
Synonyms
  • breakdown

    more sudden and complete; often implies a total collapse of communication

  • disharmony

    focuses on lack of agreement or compatibility rather than failure to function

  • discord

    stresses active disagreement and conflict rather than a general failure to work together

Antonyms
  • harmony

    a state of agreement and healthy functioning

  • stability

    a state where relationships are balanced and working well

Grammar Patterns

[social unit] + dysfunction

dysfunction + in/within + [social unit]

Usage Note

Typically uncountable. The type of group is usually named before the word: family dysfunction, political dysfunction, organisational dysfunction. Distinguish from sense 1, which refers to a physical or mechanical fault rather than a breakdown in relationships.

Common Mistakes

The family had a dysfunction.
The family experienced dysfunction.
Dysfunction in this sense is usually uncountable; avoid using 'a dysfunction' for social situations.
There was dysfunction between the two brothers.
There was dysfunction in the relationship between the two brothers.
Use 'dysfunction in' rather than 'dysfunction between'.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: noun/2

All four words describe problems within groups, but they differ in scope and severity. Dysfunction is the broadest term — it means the group is not working as it should, without necessarily implying open conflict. Breakdown suggests a more sudden and complete collapse, as in communication breakdown or a breakdown in negotiations. Disharmony focuses on lack of agreement or compatibility, often in music or aesthetics extended to human relationships (marital disharmony). Discord stresses active disagreement and clashing views; it is stronger and more confrontational. For example, a family may experience dysfunction (poor communication patterns) without open discord (shouting matches), whereas a breakdown would mean family members have stopped talking to each other entirely.

dysfunction ↗breakdown ↗disharmonydiscord

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • signs of dysfunction
  • a history of dysfunction
  • a pattern of dysfunction
  • level of dysfunction

Prepositions

  • dysfunction in
  • dysfunction within
  • dysfunction of

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Dysfunction was formed in the early 1900s by combining the Greek prefix dys-, meaning 'bad', 'difficult', or 'abnormal', with the Latin word functio, meaning 'performance' or 'execution'. It was first used in medical writing to describe organs not working correctly, and later extended to social and family contexts.