defunct

/dɪˈfʌŋkt/ (bre, ipa) · /dɪˈfʌŋkt/ (ame, ipa) · /di-ˈfəŋkt dē-/ (ame, mw)

defunct — adjective

  • defunctpositive
  • more defunctcomparative
  • most defunctsuperlative

1. A business, law, machine, or body part that is defunct has stopped existing, wor

1.形容詞C1
釋義

A business, law, machine, or body part that is defunct has stopped existing, working, or being used.

例句

The local newspaper became defunct after twenty years of falling sales.

become + defunct (change of state)

Few residents remember the defunct railway that once served this town.

attributive use: defunct + noun

同義詞
  • extinct

    used for species, not for organizations or machines

  • inoperative

    more technical; can describe a temporary state, while defunct implies permanence

  • obsolete

    focuses on being outdated rather than non-functional; an obsolete device may still work

  • inactive

    suggests a temporary pause rather than permanent cessation

反義詞

文法句型

be + defunct

become + defunct

defunct + noun

用法筆記

Commonly used for organizations, systems, laws, or machines that have stopped operating permanently. For species that no longer exist, 'extinct' is the standard word; for a dead organism, 'dead' is more natural.

常見錯誤

❌Many animal species are becoming defunct
✅Many animal species are becoming extinct
💡'extinct' is the usual term for species that have died out.
❌This old TV is defunct
✅This old TV is broken / dead
💡'defunct' sounds overly formal for small household items; 'broken' or 'dead' is more natural.