il guasto

Definition & meaning

Guasto can be an adjective or a noun:

• As an adjective, it means broken, faulty, or out of order, especially when referring to a machine or device. It can also describe food that has gone bad.
• As a masculine noun, it means a fault, breakdown, or malfunction.

Grammar & Word origin

As an adjective, guasto agrees with the noun it describes: masculine guasto and guasti, feminine guasta and guaste. It is also the past participle of guastare ↗, “to damage” or “spoil.”

As a noun, its plural is guasti.

The word ultimately comes from Latin vastare, “to lay waste” or “devastate.”

Synonyms & antonyms

• rotto ↗ — “broken”; often suggests physical breakage, while guasto can mean a device simply does not work.
• difettoso ↗ — “defective”; emphasizes a flaw rather than a complete breakdown.
• avaria ↗ — a noun meaning “breakdown” or “damage,” often used for vehicles and machinery.
• funzionante ↗ — “working” or “operational,” an antonym when guasto describes a device.
• fresco ↗ — “fresh,” an antonym when guasto describes food.

Common phrases & collocations

• essere guasto ↗ — to be broken or out of order.
• un guasto elettrico ↗ — an electrical fault.
• andare in guasto ↗ — to break down or develop a fault.
• cibo guasto ↗ — spoiled food.