defunct

[dih-fuhngkt] / dɪˈfʌŋkt /

ADJECTIVE

extinct, not functioning

Synonyms

STRONGEST

nonexistent obsolete vanished

WEAK

asleep bygone cold dead deceased departed done for down the drain exanimate expired gone had it inanimate inoperative invalid kaput late lifeless lost out of commission

Antonyms

WEAK

alive existent existing functioning live operating operative valid working

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.

While it’s defunct now, CosMc’s helped McDonald’s gain insights into what resonates with customers and what doesn’t.

From Barron's • Apr. 13, 2026

“Vladimir” begs comparison to two other fairly recent defunct and superior comedies, for different reasons.

From The Wall Street Journal • Mar. 5, 2026

In 2015, he and his partners opened an outdoor party space they called the Brooklyn Mirage in a lot next to a defunct warehouse in Williamsburg.

From The Wall Street Journal • Feb. 27, 2026

The site of Ukraine's defunct Chernobyl nuclear plant briefly lost off-site power in the shutdown, the UN atomic energy watchdog said.

From Barron's • Jan. 31, 2026

Just then the three members of the defunct ladies’ auxiliary, Frieda, Betty, and Liz, stomped into the crowd surrounding Ignatius.

From "A Confederacy of Dunces" by John Kennedy Toole

Vocabulary lists containing defunct

300 Most Difficult "SAT" Words

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Grade 9, List 2

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The Lightning Thief

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