The term 'functioned as' can be summarized as having BEEN in a certain role or position. The crossword solutions for this term are 'was' (3 letters) and 'BEEN' (4 letters). This phrase is often used to describe someone's job or role, such as 'She has functioned as a teacher for the past five years.' It can also be used to describe how something has BEEN used, such as 'This tool has functioned as a hammer for many years.'