malfunction

Example Sentences

Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.

"After investigation, preliminary findings suggest the cause was system malfunction," police added, without specifying how many cars were impacted.

From Barron's • Apr. 1, 2026

In January, the vessel suffered a malfunction in its toilet system, with US media reporting clogged toilets and long lines for restrooms on the ship.

From BBC • Mar. 18, 2026

The report states that the fuze that was used in the exercise is “extremely reliable” and had only one previous recorded malfunction, in 2017.

From Los Angeles Times • Mar. 16, 2026

A KC-135 crashed in 2013 when a tanker taking off from a base in Kyrgyzstan experienced a flight-control-system malfunction.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 13, 2026

So there they are, three classic preconditions of a plane crash, the same three that set the stage for Avianca 052: a minor technical malfunction; bad weather; and a tired pilot.

From "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell