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

For Ferrari to have tripped up so spectacularly at Monza of all races only added to the friction.

— Luke Smith, New York Times, 11 Sep. 2026
The engine protectant does not change the oil viscosity, which is a good thing, and it is designed to reduce friction.

— John Paul, The Providence Journal, 11 Sep. 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

The discord meant the program spent much of the summer hiring replacement correspondents, including Ross Douthat, a conservative New York Times opinion writer with no experience as a TV journalist.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 5 Sep. 2026
Party discord has also been a problem as leaders like Assemblymember Carl DeMaio, R-San Diego, have developed their own fundraising and organizing infrastructure to harness political support independent of the state party.

— Lia Russell, Sacbee.com, 4 Sep. 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

Scarcity of vacant land on the campus for all that housing has added to the diversity of opinion on Building 13.

— Los Angeles Times, Los Angeles Times, 11 Sep. 2026
The pool of journalists who took that protective journey with him reflected the very racial and gender diversity that the current president spurns today.

— Sonya Ross For The Atlanta Journal-Contitution, AJC.com, 11 Sep. 2026

Definition of diversity

Noun

At its heart are two families on different sides of a financial divide who intersect when Ye-ji (Cho Yeo-jeong), a documentary filmmaker married to a wealthy heir, Sang-woo (Zo In-sung), attempts to make a film about labor strife.

— Bilge Ebiri, Vulture, 6 Sep. 2026
This sport is rooted in traditions that span generations and have endured through two world wars, economic booms, depressions and social strife.

— David Hookstead OutKick, FOXNews.com, 5 Sep. 2026

Definition of strife

Noun

It’s linked to maternal and infant health disparities, including preterm births, low birth weight, maternal depression, infant death and chronic illness.

— Mona Hanna, The Conversation, 10 Sep. 2026
Don’t expect anywhere near the same talent disparity when Maryland visits Rentschler Field for a big-time Week 2 spot on Saturday.

— Joe Arruda, Hartford Courant, 10 Sep. 2026

Definition of disparity

Noun

The Republicans' back-to-the-future approach will provide a stark contrast in November with Democrats, whose primary includes both younger and progressive candidates.

— ABC News, ABC News, 5 Sep. 2026
In contrast to the On Cloudmonster 3‘s bold and prominent floral covering, the Cloud X Tempo invites the Alpine Floral print in only by way of its insole.

— Stacia Datskovska, Footwear News, 5 Sep. 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 14 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of maladaptation

noun

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