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Glite Dictionary
⚠️ To set wrongly 😕 To not adapt
to maladjust

to maladjust

8.8
To change something so it does not work properly
  • verb
  • /ˌmæl.əˈdʒʌst/
translation icon : ajustar mal
  • If you maladjust the controls, the machine may not function properly.

Examples

  • Repeated attempts to maladjust the settings only made the problem worse.

  • The technician warned him not to maladjust the equipment during repairs.

  • The therapist warned that parents should not maladjust their expectations for their children.

  • He maladjusts his expectations often.

  • Why do you always maladjust your plans?

  • If you maladjust the controls, the machine may not function properly.

  • Repeated attempts to maladjust the settings only made the problem worse.

Antonyms

to correct
483 1.0

To make something right by fixing a mistake

to adjust
317 2.7

To change something so it is in the right position or works correctly

How Adapted

to adapt
178 3.2
to adjust
317 2.7
to maladjust
8.8

Surface Forms

maladjust infinitive
maladjusted past
maladjusted past participle
maladjusting present participle
maladjusts third person singular

Morphology

maladjust = adjust (transparent) = mal + adjust

The prefix 'mal-' meaning 'badly' combined with 'adjust' yields the straightforward sense 'to adjust badly' or 'to fail to adjust', which is directly inferable from the parts.

Etymology

The word maladjust comes from the beginning part mal- meaning 'bad' and the word adjust meaning 'to make fit'. So to maladjust something is to set or change it in the wrong way, for example turning controls badly so a machine does not work.