still not working

USAGE SUMMARY

The phrase "still not working" is correct and usable in written English. You can use it to indicate that something continues to be non-functional or ineffective despite previous attempts to fix or address it. Example: "I tried restarting the computer, but it's still not working." Alternative expressions include "still malfunctioning," "still inoperative," and "still broken."

✓ Grammatically correct

News & Media

Wiki

Formal & Business

Academia

Human-verified examples from authoritative sources

Exact Expressions

60 human-written examples

Communications are still not working".

Independent

But the system is still not working.

Independent

Boo! Still not working right?

The New Yorker

The incentives for executives are still not working perfectly.

The Economist

More than two months later, it was still not working.

The New York Times

Still not working Is it a phone, is it a bank?

The Economist

Progressive campaigning efforts largely haven't worked, and are still not working.

The Guardian - Opinion

But the audio from the live feed is still not working.

The Guardian

If that's still not working, take this quiz to boost your confidence.

The Guardian

If the relationships are still not working, the case is referred on to other services.

The Guardian

"UX designers and security consultants on the whole are still not working collaboratively together.

The Guardian

Expert writing Tips

Best practice

In technical documentation, pair this phrase with a specific timeframe or a list of attempted fixes to provide better context.

Common error

Avoid using 'still yet not working' or 'still not working yet'. The word 'still' already implies the state is ongoing and 'yet' would be redundant. Stick to one or the other depending on your focus: use 'still' for persistence and 'not... yet' for an unreached milestone.

Linguistic Context

The phrase "still not working" functions as a negative adverbial complement usually following a form of the verb 'to be'. It combines the adverb 'still' (denoting persistence) with the negation 'not' and the present participle 'working'. As observed in Ludwig, it is frequently used to bridge the gap between a failed past state and a current lack of progress.

Expression frequency: Very common

Frequent in

News & Media

71%

Wiki

18%

Formal & Business

7%

Less common in

Academia

3%

Science

0.5%

Social Media

0.5%

Ludwig's WRAP-UP

The phrase "still not working" is a robust and essential part of the English language used to describe the continuation of a non-functional state. Whether referring to a broken dishwasher, a slow economy or a failing policy, it serves as a bridge between past expectations and current reality. Ludwig AI shows that while it is most prevalent in news and troubleshooting guides, it maintains high authority in formal reports and academic papers. It is a highly reliable phrase that accurately captures the frustration of a lack of progress, making it indispensable for technical, journalistic and everyday writing.

More alternative expressions

Phrases that express similar concepts, ordered by semantic similarity:

remains inoperative

Uses more formal vocabulary suitable for technical manuals or official reports.

continues to malfunction

Suggests that the failure is ongoing or perhaps erratic rather than a total outage.

is still down

Commonly used in IT and telecommunications to refer to services, servers or websites.

remains non-functional

A precise and objective way to describe something that cannot perform its intended task.

has yet to be fixed

Shifts the emphasis from the state of the object to the lack of a successful repair.

remains out of order

A classic expression typically used for physical machinery or public utilities.

is still broken

A more casual and direct alternative for everyday items or physical objects.

persists in failing

Gives a slight sense of stubbornness to the failure state, often used for systems or policies.

remains unresolved

Appropriate for abstract problems, tickets or situations rather than hardware.

continues to be ineffective

Focuses on the lack of result or impact rather than mechanical functionality.

FAQs

How to use "still not working" in a sentence?

You can use it to describe persistent issues, such as: 'I tried restarting the computer, but it is "still not working"'. This construction works for devices, policies or abstract systems.

What can I say instead of "still not working"?

Depending on the context, you could use alternatives like "remains inoperative", "remains non-functional", or "continues to fail".

Which is correct, "still not working" or "still doesn't work"?

Both are correct, but they have different nuances. "still not working" focuses on the current state of a specific instance, while "still doesn't work" often refers to a habitual failure or a general design flaw.

What is the difference between "still not working" and "not working yet"?

Use "still not working" when something was expected to be fixed or functional by now. Use "not working yet" to indicate that the functionality is anticipated in the future but hasn't started.