as in operating
being in effective operation
looked for a functioning washing machine, but the few that weren't broken were in use
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
as in activity
Related Words
as in acting
to have a certain purpose
the heart functions as a pump for the blood
Synonyms & Similar Words
Example Sentences
Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to
show current usage.
Read More
Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors.
Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of functioning
Anabel Mendoza, Chicago Tribune, 2 Jan. 2026
The system interprets this visual input and converts it into a functioning, interactive prototype.
—New Atlas, 17 Dec. 2025
Several had been removed and those that remained were non-functioning, the department said.
—Gabrielle Chenault, Nashville Tennessean, 3 Dec. 2025
Vatican News reported that the hospital was operated by the Little Sisters of the Presentation, who provide maternal care and basic surgical services in a region with few functioning medical facilities.
—Efrat Lachter, FOXNews.com, 17 Nov. 2025
The pre-alpha build is more of a technical test than a functioning game, even using placeholder assets for the rockets and our solar system (the final game will take place in a fictional solar system).
—Ian Stokes, Space.com, 14 Nov. 2025
More than 60% of the capital's health facilities, including Haiti's general hospital, are now shuttered or non-functioning because of the surge in gang violence.
—NPR, 17 Oct. 2025
In 2004, a constitutional amendment created the National Council of Justice to manage the judiciary, which has vastly improved the functioning and autonomy of the courts.
—Omar G. Encarnación, Foreign Affairs, 29 Sep. 2025
There’s tunnels to crawl through, regular live performances from Quixotic that synchronize with the experience, and a functioning 240-seat theater that plans to host film festivals.
—Kansas City Star, 18 Sep. 2025
Tom J. Pyle, Boston Herald, 7 Jan. 2026
Large studies encompassing thousands of people have since shown that following the MIND diet corresponds with better cognitive functioning, a lower risk of dementia and slower disease progression in people with Alzheimer’s.
—Dana G. Smith, New York Times, 6 Jan. 2026
At the same time, with the home functioning as collateral in these exchanges, owners must know their exact costs before getting started.
—Matt Richardson, CBS News, 5 Jan. 2026
Authorities said the measure was intended to protect the population, guarantee the functioning of state institutions and activate defense operations across the country.
—Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 3 Jan. 2026
Its inspiration was the brain’s own, natural physiological functioning.
—New Atlas, 2 Jan. 2026
Sleeping roughly the same hours every day protects mental health and physical functioning, with research suggesting that sleep consistency—going to bed and waking up around the same time every day—may be even more important than sleep duration for overall well-being.
—Emma Loewe, Outside, 1 Jan. 2026
Red blood cells carry oxygen to our tissues, which is critical for proper functioning.
—Fran Kritz, Verywell Health, 28 Dec. 2025
Some of these technologies are essential for ensuring the proper functioning of the service or website and cannot be disabled, while others are optional but serve to enhance the user experience in various ways.
—Alex Suskind, Pitchfork, 25 Dec. 2025
Lauren David, Southern Living, 8 Jan. 2026
Healthy leaves indicate that the plant's essential systems are functioning properly, such as nutrient transport, water absorption, and photosynthesis.
—Sj McShane, Martha Stewart, 8 Jan. 2026
At the turn of the century, Venezuela was Latin America’s richest country, with vast oil reserves, a growing middle class, and functioning democratic institutions.
—Duncan S. Demarsh, The Orlando Sentinel, 8 Jan. 2026
Leaving cleaning residue on the heads will prevent the burner from functioning properly.
—Mary Marlowe Leverette, The Spruce, 8 Jan. 2026
Rather than functioning as a traditional career overview, the documentary aims to contextualize Earth, Wind & Fire’s music within the broader cultural and social movements that surrounded it.
—Charlie Vargas, Oc Register, 8 Jan. 2026
Man on Fire tells the story of John Creasy, a high-functioning and skilled Special Forces Mercenary, known for surviving even the most desolate of situations.
—Rosy Cordero, Deadline, 7 Jan. 2026
Whereas the socket is connected to itself, functioning like a pacifier.
—Bettina Funcke, Artforum, 7 Jan. 2026
The body adapts to functioning without caffeine, and symptoms subside.
—Ashley Olivine, Verywell Health, 5 Jan. 2026
Adjective
Immigrants make up nearly one quarter of Illinois’ workforce and are essential to industries that keep communities healthy and functioning.
—Noun
California ratepayers now pay roughly double the national average for electricity, even as the state continues to import power from neighboring states to keep the grid functioning.
—Verb
When they aren’t cleaned, this could have a variety of consequences, such as increase in energy bills, the system not functioning at capacity as well as strange odors.
—Recent Examples of Synonyms for functioning
Adjective
-
Last year, though revenue and operating profit increased, non-operating red ink pushed the company into a full-year loss of NT$766 million, or $25 million.—
-
The adjusted net income decreased by 8% y-o-y to $3.9 billion in the first nine months of 2022 due to higher expenses as a % of revenues and lower non-operating income.—
Noun
-
Several vehicles that stopped behind her appear to belong to federal agents, based on activity observed in other videos.—
-
The sneakers have a stretchy mesh upper material that provides airflow during activity and minimizes friction, according to the brand.—
Verb
-
Culkin was just four years old when his acting career began.—
-
In 2026, Elordi snagged two acting nominations at the Golden Globes, including Best Supporting Actor in a Motion Picture for his role in Frankenstein.—
Adjective
-
But food hubs also have high startup and operational costs, challenges with maintaining a consistent supply and demand and recruiting skilled leadership and staff, and navigating organizational, regulatory and food safety requirements, Perez said.—
-
New operational concept for mine countermeasures The vessel is equipped with a TSAM towed sonar and on board the SAMDIS multi-view sonar.—
Noun
-
The do-it-yourself movement is gaining a resurgence.—
-
Fortunately for Fulham, the loose ball falls to their centre-forward, as the opposite movements of Jimenez and Sessegnon bamboozle Emmanuel Agbadou.—
Verb
-
Beere began serving as the interim chief in November, following Chief Floyd Mitchell’s abrupt resignation weeks earlier.—
-
Return serving dishes and barware to cabinets and shelves.—
Adjective
-
Budanov, who has survived numerous assassination attempts, began his career as a special forces operative and served in the east after Russia illegally annexed Crimea and its proxies took over Ukraine’s eastern fringes.—
-
Their pre-operative assessment involves a thorough analysis of the airway.—
Noun
-
In a field experiment with hundreds of consultants, GPT-4 improved speed and quality on some knowledge tasks while performance dropped on other, seemingly similar tasks just outside its strengths.—
-
The goal is to validate performance, safety, and reliability in real-world driving conditions ahead of commercial launch.—
Cite this Entry
“Functioning.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/functioning. Accessed 12 Jan. 2026.
Love words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share