defunct

Language: en

🇺🇸 /dɪˈfʌŋkt/

📖 Definitions

  1. adjective
    No longer existing, functioning, or in use; having ceased to exist or operate.; Dead; deceased. Used especially in formal or literary contexts.; No longer valid, relevant, or applicable; obsolete.
  2. noun
    A dead person; a deceased individual.
  3. adjective
    In computing, referring to a process that has terminated but whose entry remains in the process table because the parent has not yet read its exit status; also called a zombie process.

🔗 Details

Word forms

Collocations

defunct companydefunct organizationdefunct branddefunct regimedefunct institutionbecome defunct

Derivatives

defunctness

Synonyms

extinctobsoletediscontinueddormantinactivedead

Antonyms

activefunctioningoperationalthriving

Commonly confused

dysfunctional
EN: 'Dysfunctional' means not working properly but still existing; 'defunct' means no longer existing or functioning at all.
defunctive
EN: 'Defunctive' is a rare/nonstandard form; 'defunct' is the correct and standard adjective.

Spelling tips

EN: Remember 'defunct' ends with '-unct' (like 'defunct'), not '-uncted' or '-unctive'. It is an adjective, not a verb, so it has no past tense form.

💬 Examples

  1. The defunct airline was acquired by a larger competitor after going bankrupt.

  2. The defunct king was buried in a grand tomb beneath the cathedral.

  3. The law was rendered defunct after the constitutional amendment was passed.

  4. The will of the defunct was read aloud to the assembled family members.

  5. The system administrator noticed several defunct processes consuming entries in the process table.