dysfunction

/dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən/

//dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən// noun

By · According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA) ·

"dysfunction" is a 11-letter English headword indexed on PlainSpell.

The verdict

“dysfunction” is a moderately-common English word, ranked #14,518 in English word frequency and used as a noun.

#14,518
frequency rank, English
11
letters
19
tracked misspellings
1
confusable pair

According to Wiktionary data (CC BY-SA, analyzed May 6, 2026) - A failure to function in an expected or complete manner. Usually refers to a disorder in a bodily organ (e.g. erectile dysfunction), a mental disorder, or the improper behavior of a social group.

Visual similarity to commonly confused words

How many letter changes separate each confused pair (Levenshtein distance, normalized).

dysfunction vs dysfunctional
85% similar

Source: PlainSpell confusable corpus (Wiktionary, CC BY-SA).

Key facts for dysfunction
PropertyValue
Headworddysfunction
LanguageEnglish
Part of speechNoun
IPA/dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən/
Letters11
Frequency rank#14,518
Misspellings tracked19
Confusable pairs1
SourceWiktionary (kaikki.org)

Where “dysfunction” sits in English frequency

Every-word frequency runs from the handful of words we use constantly (left) to the long tail used once in a blue moon (right). dysfunction lands here:

#1#100#1K#10K#100K
← used constantlyrarely used →

Scale is logarithmic (each tick is 10× rarer). Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list.

Spelling & Dictionary Insight

The English entry for dysfunction is 11 letters long, classified as a noun, and transcribed in the International Phonetic Alphabet as /dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən/. Corpus data places it at rank #14,518 in overall English word frequency, marking it as uncommon enough that many writers pause before typing it. The dominant gloss from Wiktionary reads: "A failure to function in an expected or complete manner. Usually refers to a disorder in a bodily organ (e.g. erectile dysfunction), a mental disorder, or the improper behavior of a social group.".

Our generated misspelling index lists 19 likely wrong-spelling variants for dysfunction, with forms such as "ddysfunction", "dsyfunction", and "dyfsunction". Each of these forms differs from the correct spelling by one small edit: a doubled letter, a dropped silent letter, or a substituted vowel. It also participates in 1 confusable-pair relationship, "dysfunctional", since the words sound or look close enough that writers reach for the wrong one mid-sentence.

Etymologically, the entry records: From dys- + function. The correct English form is dysfunction, spelled D-Y-S-F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N.

Definition

  1. 1
    A failure to function in an expected or complete manner. Usually refers to a disorder in a bodily organ (e.g. erectile dysfunction), a mental disorder, or the improper behavior of a social group.

Etymology

From dys- + function.

This word in other languages

disfunción(Español)dysfonctionnement(Français)Dysfunktion(Deutsch)

Common misspellings

Also misspelled as: ddysfunction,dsyfunction,dyfsunction,dysffunction,dysfnuction,dysfucntion,dysfuncction,dysfunciton,dysfuncsion,dysfunctino,dysfunctionn,dysfunctoin,dysfuncttion,dysfunnction,dysfuntcion,dyssfunction,dysufnction,dyysfunction,ydsfunction

Misspelling Pattern Breakdown

How far each generated variant is from the correct spelling of dysfunction - expressed in single-character edits (insert, delete, or swap one letter). Bigger bars stand out at a glance; a one-edit slip is the hardest to catch.

ddysfunction1dsyfunction2dyfsunction2dysffunction1dysfnuction2dysfucntion2dysfuncction1dysfunciton2
Edit distance from "dysfunction"

Definitions, pronunciation, and etymology for this entry are drawn from Wiktionary via the kaikki.org structured extract (CC BY-SA); frequency ordering uses the FrequencyWords open word-frequency list (2018 English corpus, MIT). See the methodology for how each field is sourced and updated.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do you spell "dysfunction"?
"dysfunction" is spelled D-Y-S-F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N. The IPA pronunciation is /dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən/.
What does "dysfunction" mean?
As a noun, "dysfunction" means: A failure to function in an expected or complete manner. Usually refers to a disorder in a bodily organ (e.g. erectile dysfunction), a mental disorder, or the improper behavior of a social group.
What words are commonly confused with "dysfunction"?
"dysfunction" is commonly confused with "dysfunctional". These words look or sound similar but have different meanings. PlainSpell provides detailed comparisons for each pair.
How do you pronounce "dysfunction"?
The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) transcription for "dysfunction" is /dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən/. Click the speaker icon on the pronunciation badge above to hear it spoken aloud where audio is available.
What is the origin of the word "dysfunction"?
From dys- + function. See the full etymology section above for more details.
Is PlainSpell free to use?
Yes, PlainSpell is a completely free word reference. You can look up definitions, pronunciations, confusable pairs, homophones, and spelling corrections across 5 languages without any sign-up or subscription.

Using “dysfunction”

The practical upshot for anyone who landed here from a spell-check.

  • The one correct English spelling is D-Y-S-F-U-N-C-T-I-O-N - every other letter order is a misspelling in standard orthography.
  • Say it as /dɪsˈfʌŋk.ʃən/ (IPA); tap the speaker on the pronunciation badge to hear it where audio exists.
  • Don't mix it up with “dysfunctional” - see the side-by-side comparison. dysfunction vs dysfunctional
  • Browse more English words and confusable pairs in the same reference. English words
Data Source

Wiktionary (via kaikki.org), licensed under CC BY-SA & GFDL. Word ordering uses an open word-frequency list; misspelling variants are generated by edit-distance from the correct headword.

Source: Wiktionary (via kaikki.org) Structured Wiktionary extract

Source: FrequencyWords open word-frequency list FrequencyWords open word-frequency list