MALADAPTATION Synonyms: 40 Similar and Opposite Words

maladaptation

noun

Definition of maladaptation

as in friction

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Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of maladaptation Our knack for accommodation increasingly looks like what evolutionary biologists call a maladaptation. — Literary Hub, 15 July 2026 For years, maladaptation was given short shrift as research and policy prioritized mitigating climate change by reducing greenhouse-gas emissions. — Stephen Robert Miller, Discover Magazine, 16 Dec. 2022 This maladaptation to lack of hip stability causes the knee to be unnaturally pinched between the upper leg and lower leg, precipitating damage and pain. — Matt Fitzgerald, Outside Online, 20 Sep. 2018

Recent Examples of Synonyms for maladaptation

Noun

Trust between the board chair, independent directors, and the CEO helps companies make bolder decisions faster and reduces the friction when discussing emerging risks or opportunities, Brugg says.

— Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson, semafor.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Right now, there’s less social friction around using glasses to record than there was when people first started using phones to record public interactions, Quintin suggested.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of friction

Noun

And so my conversation with Noah centered on the idea of a space where there would be a discordance between what the physical space looked like and what was happening emotionally in that room.

— Destiny Jackson, Deadline, 18 Aug. 2026
Part of that discordance might be the fact that as a genre, rock has historically been difficult to define.

— Hannah Dailey, Billboard, 19 Nov. 2025

Definition of discordance

Noun

Most believe there could be solutions through civil dialog, there are answers in the middle, and there is destructive disunity at the fringes.

— Letters to the Editor, Hartford Courant, 2 June 2026
Whether that agreement will rapidly come to fruition on such a tight timeline is looking increasingly difficult – especially amid disunity among House and Senate Democrats.

— Zachary Schermele, USA Today, 3 Feb. 2026

Definition of disunity

Noun

Historically a safe haven, the Vineyard is now seen as the epicenter for changing the narrative on diversity, showcasing Black and Brown Americans as the backbone of the nation's economy and future.

— Doug Melville, Forbes.com, 21 Aug. 2026
Gonzalez appeared at a contentious July congressional hearing in which the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History director, Anthea Hartig, was grilled on matters of diversity, equity, and inclusion in its programming.

— Brian Boucher, ARTnews.com, 21 Aug. 2026

Definition of diversity

Noun

Life had changed drastically for all of them, naturally — there were now dealing with mortgages, children, marital strife, health issues, and your run-of-the-mill middle-age malaise.

— David Fear, Rolling Stone, 15 Aug. 2026
The rare interview comes a few months after reports of marital strife between Edo and Beatrice, 37, who tied the knot in 2020.

— Meredith Kile, PEOPLE, 7 Aug. 2026

Definition of strife

Noun

Have there been any improvements in access to care or in addressing health disparities?

— Maggie Donahue, HEALTH, 20 Aug. 2026
What the research shows The USC Annenberg Inclusion Initiative released a landmark study in November 2025 revealing severe gender and racial disparities among the creators and guests of popular podcasts.

— Frank Racioppi, Forbes.com, 19 Aug. 2026

Definition of disparity

Noun

In contrast, the new 74,000-square-foot (6,875-square-meter) Buc-ee’s off Interstate 70 near Dayton has more than 100 gas pumps, 24 electric vehicle chargers and 700 parking spaces.

— ABC News, ABC News, 23 Aug. 2026
The majority of Duff’s footwear was comprised of white leather, which sat in contrast to three black stripes on the side, an Adidas signature.

— Amina Ayoud, Footwear News, 22 Aug. 2026

Definition of contrast

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making way

maladaptation

maladies

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“Maladaptation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maladaptation. Accessed 23 Aug. 2026.

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Synonyms of maladaptation

noun

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