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 Experts call this phenomenon maladaptation. — 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

This modern methodology, also frequently employed by ascendent jazz jammers SML, adds artful friction to the Prairiewolf terroir.

— Reed Jackson, SPIN, 17 July 2026
Opportunities Using Business Frameworks AI opportunities shouldn't arise from a haphazard list of use cases but should start with a methodical examination of where value is created and where friction exists.

— Michael Chavira, Forbes.com, 17 July 2026

Definition of friction

Noun

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
The songs bounce from discordance and disorientation to harmoniousness and repose — even in the uneasy moments, the songs don't sink.

— Audrey Gibbs, The Tennessean, 2 July 2025

Definition of discordance

Noun

His removal sparked public protests and discord within the Ukrainian military, with Fedorov making an outspoken attack on the chief of the armed forces, General Oleksandr Syrskyi, on Thursday.

— Tim Lister, CNN Money, 16 July 2026
The Administration has already undermined the agreement in many ways, experts tell TIME, citing the discord in February, when the bloc had to freeze the implementation of the agreement after Trump made additional tariff threats.

— Tiago Ventura, Time, 9 July 2026

Definition of discord

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

These icons—including symbols associated with hygiene, nature, science, sustainability, food, and culture—are arranged to form a large letter U, echoing the original corporate logo while also reflecting the company’s commitment to diversity.

— Encyclopedia Britannica, Encyclopedia Britannica, 17 July 2026
That journey introduced me to a country of extraordinary cultural diversity, powerful traditions, and deeply rooted histories that remain largely unknown to the world.

— Naman Ramachandran, Variety, 17 July 2026

Definition of diversity

Noun

The transfer of the Chelsea art space is only the epilogue for Marlborough’s multi-year breakdown—the gallery’s closure in 2024 came after years of escalating strife and discord.

— News Desk, Artforum, 9 July 2026
When her parents — the wonderful June Diane Raphael and Tom Everett Scott — fall into professional reputational strife, the family is forced to relocate to Seattle to rebuild their lives.

— Scarlett Harris, IndieWire, 6 July 2026

Definition of strife

Noun

The property tax has long been Connecticut’s Gordian knot, a seemingly intractable problem that overburdens middle- and low-income households, stymies business growth and creates great K-12 education disparities between cities and suburbs.

— Keith M. Phaneuf, Hartford Courant, 17 July 2026
Americans experience the consequences through rising costs, uneven public services and widening regional disparities.

— John Eger, Mercury News, 17 July 2026

Definition of disparity

Noun

In contrast, the subtle results of the new facelifts conceal serious invasion—hours of slicing and manipulating fascia, muscle, and fat.

— Jia Tolentino, New Yorker, 11 July 2026
Furthermore, Apple's unified iOS 27 rollout provides a stable, day-one experience across all devices, in contrast to Android 17's fragmented adoption.

— Ewan Spence, Forbes.com, 11 July 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 18 Jul. 2026.

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Synonyms of maladaptation

noun

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