malfunction

Device stops working

A malfunction is a failure to work correctly.

Equipment malfunctions when it stops operating as designed: The engine malfunctioned mid-flight.

The word applies to mechanical, electronic, or biological systems—a wardrobe malfunction exposes what clothing should cover, and a brain malfunction suggests cognitive failure.

Unlike breakdown, malfunction implies partial or intermittent failure rather than complete stoppage.

glitch

bug

Crawling creature or defect

glitchMinor system fault
crashSudden violent impact
errorFault in communication

hiccup · freeze · lag · flicker · stutter · artifact · corruption · blip · misfire · quirk

breakdown

failure

Lack of success

collapseSudden structural failure
breakdownFailure or decomposition
deteriorationProcess of declining quality

degradation · wear · fatigue · corrosion · decay · rupture · fracture · crack · disintegration · failing

failure

catastrophe

Devastating, large-scale misfortune

disasterSudden ruinous event
debacleSudden, complete failure
fiascoHumiliating public failure

mishap · misfire · botch · flop · breakdown · ruin · setback · blunder · snafu · foul-up

defect

flaw

Imperfection in something

imperfectionFault or shortcoming
faultImperfection or blame
defectInherent imperfection or fault

blemish · anomaly · irregularity · aberration · weakness · shortcoming · manufacturing defect · design flaw · factory defect

disruption

interruption

Break in continuity

interferenceUnwelcome involvement in affairs
disruptionForceful interruption of process
obstructionSomething blocking the way

disturbance · jam · blockage · outage · downtime · communication breakdown

malfunction

bug

failure

catastrophe

flaw

interruption

malfunction

Opposites

Phrases

Categories

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