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maladapted

maladapted

7.6
A person who behaves in ways that cause problems in relationships or feelings
  • adjective
  • /ˌmæl.əˈdæp.tɪd/
  • Specialized
translation icon : maladaptado
  • Many maladapted individuals struggle to find a place in society where they feel accepted.

They're all kind of maladapted individuals trying to figure out where they fit in.

Examples

  • Cult leaders are usually socially maladapted, delusional, or psychopaths.

    Blog text (20)
  • But maladapted immigrants in the West also turn to militancy, and troubled individuals desperate for emotional freedom seek shelter in the crowd to avoid responsibility while indulging.

    Academic text (2015)
  • They're all kind of maladapted individuals trying to figure out where they fit in.

  • Surely you've got a slightly maladapted series of offspring.

  • His maladapted behavior made it hard for him to form friendships with his peers.

  • The therapist explained how her maladapted coping strategies were affecting her relationships.

Synonyms

maladjusted
vsmaladapted
  • Specialized
4 8.1

Having trouble dealing with feelings and making friends

involves harmful or ineffective strategies rather than mere difficulty coping
maladaptive
vsmaladapted
  • Specialized
2 8.4

A way of behaving that does not help and causes problems

involves ineffective coping that harms social and emotional adjustment
maladjustive
vsmaladapted
  • Specialized
9.9

Having trouble dealing with a situation or its demands

focuses on harmful coping instead of simple inadequate adaptation
unadaptive
vsmaladapted
7.8

Not able to change when facing new conditions

centres on harmful coping in social situations rather than plain nonresponse

Antonyms

20 4.4

Emotionally healthy and able to handle daily life problems

3.7

Changed to fit a particular use or situation

How Adaptive

adaptive
33 4.9
adapted
3.7
unadapted
7.3
maladapted
  • Specialized
7.6
maladaptive
  • Specialized
2 8.4

Surface Forms

maladapted positive

Morphology

maladapted = adapted (transparent) = mal + adapt + ed

Clearly formed by the negative prefix 'mal-' plus 'adapted', so the meaning 'badly/not well adapted' is directly inferable.

Etymology

The word maladapted comes from mal- 'bad' and adapt 'to fit or change to a situation'. So a maladapted person has ways of coping that do not fit the situation and can cause trouble or make life harder.