maladaptation

noun

Definition of maladaptationnext
as in friction

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Example Sentences

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
  1. friction
  2. discordance
  3. discord
  4. disunity
  5. diversity
  6. strife
  7. disparity
  8. contrast
Noun
  • That can reduce friction in transactions by giving both sides a reference point based on past sales of the same card at the same grade.
    — Matthew Tan, CNBC, 7 Nov. 2026
  • The applications are meant to enable Changshin teams to identify issues earlier, reduce handoff friction and use production outcomes to inform future decisions.
    — Roy Stephen Canivel, Footwear News, 6 Nov. 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
  • A throw toward the center and then, at times, a lateral backwards to create discord among the secondaries and then race downfield.
    — Ethan Hanson, Daily News, 4 Nov. 2026
  • To use isolated instances of interpersonal discord as a pretext to strip 18 distinct counties of their democratic home rule is a severe structural overreaction.
    — Eric Wargotz, Baltimore Sun, 3 Nov. 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
  • Kwon says this approach encourages diversity, with producers of different ages and backgrounds bringing different tastes into the mix.
    — Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Leadership, management and vision; promoting diversity and inclusion.
    — Sonya Thadhani Mughal, Forbes.com, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of diversity
Noun
  • Concerns about security and safety due to political strife have caused many Americans to think about second residency.
    — Nicole Hoey, Robb Report, 29 Oct. 2026
  • But in the last year and half, the national economic strife has plagued his store.
    — Mathew Miranda, Sacbee.com, 26 Oct. 2026
Definition of strife
Noun
  • But there’s a disparity in initial reactions and long-term expectations.
    — Tomas Milar, Forbes.com, 5 Nov. 2026
  • El-Sayed trained as a physician-scientist, doing research on health disparities and maternal health before becoming the head of Detroit’s public health department.
    — Sarah Todd, STAT, 4 Nov. 2026
Definition of disparity
Noun
  • By contrast, a conventional lithium-ion battery has two electrodes containing materials that store and release energy.
    — Christopher McFadden, Interesting Engineering, 7 Nov. 2026
  • That allows for absolute black levels and very strong contrast.
    — ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 6 Nov. 2026
Definition of contrast

Browse Nearby Words

making way
maladaptation
maladies
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Cite this Entry

“Maladaptation.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/maladaptation. Accessed 9 Nov. 2026.

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