dysfunctional

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.

In the early 2000s, television viewers first discovered "Malcolm in the Middle," the hilarious tale of a teenager trying to survive the antics of his dysfunctional family.

From Barron's • Apr. 8, 2026

It shattered the Windsor mantra of “never complain, never explain,” stripping back the mystique of monarchy, revealing a somewhat dysfunctional family trapped inside an institution it struggles to manage.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 11, 2026

Over time they can enter a dysfunctional condition called T cell exhaustion, where their ability to eliminate threats declines.

From Science Daily • Mar. 5, 2026

The committee's chairman, Alistair Carmichael, said Defra's evidence "paints a picture of a dysfunctional system", with "unchecked meat and plant products being let in through the front door."

From BBC • Mar. 4, 2026

A crew composed entirely of eight amped-up, overtly aggressive oarsmen will often degenerate into a dysfunctional brawl in a boat or exhaust itself in the first leg of a long race.

From "The Boys in the Boat: Nine Americans and Their Epic Quest for Gold at the 1936 Berlin Olympics" by Daniel James Brown