# defunct

/dɪˈfəŋkt/ (US) · /dɪfˈʌŋkt/ (UK) · CEFR C1 · Adjective

Source: https://englishreference.com/word/defunct
Updated: 2026-05-07

## Definition

no longer existing, living, or working. You use this to describe things like old companies, laws, or machines that are gone for good.

For teachers: no longer in existence, operation, or use. Often used to describe formal entities such as organisations, legal statutes, or technological systems that have been permanently discontinued.

## Examples

- The old factory is now defunct.
- After the merger, the original brand name became defunct and was replaced by a new corporate identity.
- The researcher spent years documenting the grammar of a defunct language that had not been spoken natively for over a century, preserving its structure for future generations.

## Usage notes

- Typically used predicatively after a linking verb or attributively before a noun to describe systems, laws, or organisations.

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