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dysfunctional

adjective/dɪsˈfəŋkʃn(ə)l/

not working properly; emotionally unhealthy (of a person, family, or relationship)

Conflict, misbehavior, and abuse are commonly observed in dysfunctional families.

brokendefective; abusive
word origin — Origin notes will appear here when available.

Advanced — Set 53

Set 53 of Advanced covers 5 words: dysfunctional, overcritical, committed, neglected, grounded. Each entry below includes its definition, an example sentence, and synonyms — practice them with the interactive cards above.

  1. dysfunctional · adjective/dɪsˈfəŋkʃn(ə)l/

    not working properly; emotionally unhealthy (of a person, family, or relationship)

    Conflict, misbehavior, and abuse are commonly observed in dysfunctional families.

    Synonyms: broken, defective; abusive

  2. overcritical · adjective/ˌoʊvərˈkrɪdək(ə)l/

    criticizing excessively

    Kevin, unfortunately, grew up with overcritical parents who never praised him for anything.

    Synonyms: disapproving

  3. committed · adjective/kəˈmɪdəd/

    being loyal or dedicated to something or someone

    Mark was so committed to his kids that he never missed a ball game or a dance recital.

    Synonyms: faithful, devoted, dedicated

  4. neglected · adjective/nəˈɡlɛktəd/

    not given sufficient attention or care

    The grandmother felt neglected when her grandchildren didn't call or visit on her birthday.

    Synonyms: ignored, disregarded, abused

  5. grounded · adjective/ɡraʊnd/

    restricted to stay at home as a form of punishment

    Sarah told her friends she couldn't go out because she was grounded for having gone on social media when she was supposed to be studying.

    Synonyms: punished