dysfunctional

dysfunctional — adjective

1. operating in an unhealthy, abnormal, or ineffective way — used of a system, rela

1.adjectiveB2
Definition

operating in an unhealthy, abnormal, or ineffective way — used of a system, relationship, organization, or body part that is not working as it should.

Example

Asher grew up in a dysfunctional family where arguments never got resolved.

collocation: dysfunctional family

The hospital's record-keeping system was so dysfunctional that patient files often went missing.

Common collocations
  • dysfunctional family
  • dysfunctional relationship
  • dysfunctional system
  • dysfunctional organization
  • dysfunctional behavior
  • dysfunctional team
  • dysfunctional organ
  • dysfunctional marriage
  • dysfunctional communication
Synonyms
  • broken

    more informal; suggests something is damaged and cannot do its job

  • impaired

    more formal, often used for physical/medical function

  • unhealthy

    overlaps in relationship/family contexts but is broader

  • disordered

    suggests a lack of organization or structure; clinical tone

Antonyms
  • functional

    direct opposite; operating normally and effectively

  • healthy

    used especially for relationships, families, and organizations

  • effective

    focuses on achieving intended results

Grammar Patterns

dysfunctional + noun

be + dysfunctional

Usage Note

Widely used in psychology, organizational theory, and medicine. Avoid using as a casual synonym for 'bad' — the word implies a breakdown in normal healthy function, not mere dislike or poor quality.

Common Mistakes

The movie was so dysfunctional.
The movie was so poorly made.
'dysfunctional' describes a breakdown in normal operation, not general badness or low quality.
He is a dysfunctional person.
He grew up in a dysfunctional family environment.
'dysfunctional' typically modifies systems, relationships, and environments, not individuals as a personal trait.

Word family

Synonym discussion

Sense: adjective/1

All four words describe something that is not working as it should, but they differ in scope and register. 'Dysfunctional' is the most precise term when referring to systems, relationships, or organizations whose normal healthy operation has broken down — it carries a clinical or analytical tone. 'Broken' is more informal and general; a broken watch is simply not working, but a 'broken system' may or may not involve the relational or structural failure that 'dysfunctional' implies. 'Impaired' is more formal and typically used for partial damage or reduction in function, often in medical or technical contexts ('impaired vision'). 'Unhealthy' overlaps with 'dysfunctional' in family and relationship contexts but is broader and less technical — an 'unhealthy diet' is not 'dysfunctional' in the same sense. Use 'dysfunctional' when you mean a system or relationship has failed in its basic purpose; use 'broken' for everyday objects; use 'impaired' for partial loss of function; use 'unhealthy' when the emphasis is on harm rather than operational failure.

dysfunctional ↗broken ↗impaired ↗unhealthy ↗

Common collocations

Nouns

Adverbs

Phrases

  • in a dysfunctional way
  • become dysfunctional
  • label someone/something as dysfunctional

Etymology

GreekLatinEnglish

Formed in English in the early 20th century from the prefix 'dys-' (from Greek 'dus-', meaning 'bad, abnormal, difficult') plus 'functional', which comes from Latin 'functio' (performance, execution). The term was first used in medical contexts to describe organs or bodily systems that were not working properly. By the mid-20th century it had been adopted by psychology and sociology to describe families, relationships, and organizations with unhealthy or unproductive patterns of interaction.