Word
functional
Phoneticsfunc·tion·al, stress on the first syllable
US/ˈfəŋkʃənəɫ/
UK/fˈʌŋkʃənəl/
Definitions
01working correctly
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. working correctly and ready to use.
adj. in good working order; operational and performing its intended task.
“The elevator is finally functional again after being broken for a week.”
“Engineers worked through the night to ensure the cooling system was fully functional before the reactor was brought back online.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
02practical and useful
B2 · Upper Intermediate
adj. designed to be useful and practical rather than just attractive.
adj. designed for utility and purpose rather than aesthetic appeal.
“The furniture in the office is functional but not very comfortable.”
“The architect prioritised a functional layout that facilitated easy movement between departments over more decorative, traditional design elements.”
Synonyms
Antonyms
03relating to a role
C1 · Advanced Academic
adj. relating to the specific job or purpose someone or something has.
adj. relating to a specific function, role, or office.
“The manager has a functional responsibility to oversee the budget.”
“The restructuring aimed to clarify functional boundaries between the research and development teams to prevent overlapping duties.”
Synonyms
04medical symptoms
C2 · Proficiency Medicine Technical
adj. used to describe health problems that affect how the body works but do not show physical damage.
adj. referring to symptoms or disorders that affect physiological performance without an apparent organic or structural cause.
“The doctor explained that his stomach pain was a functional disorder caused by stress.”
“Functional neurological disorders can present with significant motor impairment despite the absence of visible lesions on a standard MRI scan.”
Antonyms
05programming style
C1 · Advanced Computing Technical
adj. a way of writing computer code based on mathematical functions.
adj. relating to a programming paradigm that treats computation as the evaluation of mathematical functions and avoids changing-state and mutable data.
“Functional programming languages like Haskell are popular for complex data analysis.”
“The team decided to adopt a functional approach for the new microservice to minimize side effects and improve code testability.”
Antonyms
06math function
C2 · Proficiency Countable noun Mathematics Technical
n. a special type of mathematical rule that takes a function as its input.
n. a function whose domain is a set of functions and whose range is a set of scalars.
“In his advanced math class, he learned how to calculate a linear functional.”
“The researcher defined a functional that mapped each continuous path to its total energy consumption over a fixed interval.”
Synonyms
Collocations
Common phrases and expressions where native English speakers use the word “functional” in context.
Adjective
01. functional analysis
“The researchers conducted a functional analysis to determine how the new protein affects cell growth.”
adj + noun
02. functional approach
“Adopting a functional approach to language learning focuses on communication rather than just grammar.”
adj + noun
03. functional characteristic
“Durability is a key functional characteristic that consumers look for in outdoor gear.”
adj + noun
04. functional element
“Every functional element of the engine must be inspected before the flight.”
adj + noun
05. functional form
“The architect balanced aesthetic beauty with functional form in the design of the new library.”
adj + noun
06. functional relationship
“The study explores the functional relationship between sleep patterns and cognitive performance.”
adj + noun
07. functional role
“Each member of the team has a specific functional role to ensure the project's success.”
adj + noun
08. functional unit
“The family is often considered the basic functional unit of society.”
adj + noun
09. appreciation functional
Real-World Examples
“Variation in the beetle's body shape is caused by a functional trade-off between two feeding strategies.” “But if these were families, they were frequently barely functional ones, without much staying power.” Etymology
From function + -al.
Etymology adapted from Wiktionary, available under CC BY-SA 4.0.
Word family
ADJECTIVE
ADVERB
Domains
- Exam level
- CambridgeCambridgeCambridge English QualificationsThe exam suite from Cambridge University Press & Assessment, from A1 Movers up to C2 Proficiency. The benchmark names double as CEFR labels.C1 AdvancedIELTSIELTSInternational English Language Testing SystemThe 0–9 band test co-owned by the British Council, IDP, and Cambridge. Used for university entry, work, and migration.7.0–8.0TOEFL iBTTOEFL iBTTest of English as a Foreign Language, Internet-Based TestETS's academic English test, the standard route for US university admissions. Scored 0–120, with a 1–6 scale since 2026.1–6 scale: 5.0–5.595–113TOEICTOEICTest of English for International CommunicationETS's workplace English test, big in Japan and Korea. Listening & Reading scores 10–990 and tops out at C1.945–990
- Frequency
- Common
- Level
- C1 · AdvancedOxford
- Updated
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englishreference.com/q/functional