malfunction

noun

1. Faulty functioning.

   “This weekend, as videos of robotaxi malfunctions began appearing on social media, opponents say they are seeing their fears realized.”

   “A former OceanGate scientific director said the Titan submersible suffered a malfunction six days before imploding in June 2023, killing all five people on board.”

2. Failure to function.

verb

1. To function improperly.

   “She told him the machine was poorly built, but they both knew that she was the one who had malfunctioned.”

   “Due to a communications error, according to gaming officials, the slot machine malfunctioned and didn’t notify Taylor or casino personnel that he was a winner.”

   “The group has started collecting reports of malfunctioning, crashing, or dangerous self-driving cars on its website.”

   “A 39-year-old British woman was killed when a malfunctioning ottoman bed fell on her neck and asphyxiated her, a coroner’s report said.”

2. To fail to function.