YOUR VOCABULARY, ONE WORD AT A TIME

defunct

Adjective

IPA /dɪˈfʌŋkt/

Understand it. Say it. Use it.

UNDERSTAND THE WORD

Meaning in plain English

No longer operating, existing or being used.

SAY IT ALOUD

Pronunciation

defunct/dɪˈfʌŋkt/

PICTURE THE IDEA

See the meaning

Follow the idea

A company once operated here
The business closes permanently
Its offices no longer operate

A defunct company has stopped operating.

SEE IT IN EVERYDAY ENGLISH

Examples in context

Read the examples aloud. Notice how the word fits the sentence, then think of a situation of your own.

The ticket came from a defunct railway company.
The report linked to a defunct website.

MAKE IT STICK

Quick word quiz

Try the question without looking back, then write a sentence of your own. You can retry as often as you like.

Can you recall the word?

Complete the example using the word from this lesson.

The ticket came from a ________ railway company.

Show the answer

defunct — No longer operating, existing or being used.

Try your own sentence (optional)

Make it yours

Write one sentence using “defunct” about your own life.

Your sentence (optional)

Check your sentence

Does your sentence match this meaning?

No longer operating, existing or being used.

Compare: The ticket came from a defunct railway company.

Check the spelling and how the word fits the sentence. Your example can be different.

Self-review only. Your sentence is not automatically marked, saved or submitted.

This quiz is for practice. To save lesson completion on this device, complete the checks in the app.

Word origin

From Latin defunctus, meaning finished or dead, related to completing a task.

Did you know?

Now-defunct is often used before a noun to describe something that once operated.

Explore related words

Open a word’s lesson when available, or explore entries that use the related term.

Make the word your own

Say the word aloud and read an example sentence.
Write a new sentence about something familiar to you.
Cover the meaning and try explaining the word in your own words.

Continue with the app’s practice check, then try a sentence of your own to mark this word complete.

Practise this word in the app

Completion and saved words stay in this browser on this device.