MALADAPTATIONS 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

Printing the raw, unedited Q&A provides a completely transparent look at the friction between corporate AI design and power-user expectations.

— New Atlas, New Atlas, 4 Sep. 2026
Latinos Aventureros Co-Founder Sandra Salazar said complaints about trash at Wilson Creek since Hurricane Helene created friction in the area.

— Lily Knoepp, Charlotte Observer, 3 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

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
There’s discord between the House of Representatives and the Senate on the deadline to vote on the extension, but the earliest that could happen is September 30 and the latest is December 11.

— Ashley Belanger, ArsTechnica, 2 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

That leaves out information about thousands of students in American schools, although many schools do not track or report gender diversity data.

— Jonaki Mehta, NPR, 4 Sep. 2026
Carr has been investigating diversity practices at Comcast since February 2025 and not ruled out subjecting its NBC licenses to an early review.

— Reuters, NBC news, 4 Sep. 2026

Definition of diversity

Noun

Bernadette explains the racial nuances the Guardians might not know as newcomers to Earth, echoing the landmark 1971 Green Lantern/Green Arrow comic series, which attempts to bring the space cops down to Earth by exposing them to racial strife.

— Siddhant Adlakha, Vulture, 31 Aug. 2026
Prosecutors believe he was killed because of ongoing strife with his former wife, Shanna Gardner, over the parenting of their twins.

— Ed White, Los Angeles Times, 27 Aug. 2026

Definition of strife

Noun

Venice artistic director Alberto Barbera acknowledged the disparity when announcing the lineup, calling it a recent low for the festival.

— Patrick Brzeski, HollywoodReporter, 2 Sep. 2026
Severe economic disparities brought many young women and men from Thailand’s poor northeastern Isan region to work in Pattaya’s lucrative nightlife sector.

— Grant Peck, Los Angeles Times, 2 Sep. 2026

Definition of disparity

Noun

American college sports, by contrast, have historically served as the major development system for professional football.

— Joshua Hong, Fortune, 29 Aug. 2026
In contrast to the standard seven-course tasting menu, starting from £225 per head (~$300), the flexible à la carte menu allows diners to experience a multi-course, three-star masterclass for under £100 (~$135).

— Carinne Geil Botta, Forbes.com, 29 Aug. 2026

Definition of contrast

Browse Nearby Words

making way

maladaptation

maladies

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“Maladaptation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maladaptation. Accessed 6 Sep. 2026.

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Synonyms of maladaptation

noun

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