maladjustment

noun

mal·​ad·​just·​ment ˌma-lə-ˈjəs(t)-mənt How to pronounce maladjustment (audio)
: poor, faulty, or inadequate adjustment

Examples of maladjustment in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web
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.
What the experts missed (or ignored) and parents did not was a near future in which the academic performance among a generation of students fell off a cliff — a condition compounded by a widespread crisis of psychological maladjustment in young people. — Noah Rothman, National Review, 13 Dec. 2023 Some people have made news for their tremendously bad and rude behavior in public spaces, which signals a kind of sad maladjustment to living with other people. — Tess Taylor, CNN, 3 June 2021

Word History

First Known Use

1833, in the meaning defined above

Time Traveler
The first known use of maladjustment was in 1833

Rhymes for maladjustment

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Browse Nearby Words

maladjustive
maladjustment
maladministration
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Cite this Entry

“Maladjustment.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/maladjustment. Accessed 2 Apr. 2025.

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Kids Definition

maladjustment

noun
mal·​ad·​just·​ment ˌmal-ə-ˈjəs(t)-mənt How to pronounce maladjustment (audio)
: poor or faulty adjustment

Medical Definition

maladjustment

noun
mal·​ad·​just·​ment ˌmal-ə-ˈjəs(t)-mənt How to pronounce maladjustment (audio)
: poor, faulty, or inadequate adjustment
especially : failure to reach a satisfactory adjustment between one's desires and the conditions of one's life
emotional maladjustments
symptoms of maladjustment … in early childhood — Psychological Abstracts
maladjusted
-əd How to pronounce maladjustment (audio)
adjective
maladjustive
-iv How to pronounce maladjustment (audio)
adjective
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