1. poor or inadequate adaptation to environmental conditions or circumstances
Usage: biology; psychology

Examples

• The species showed signs of maladaptation to the changing climate.
• His maladaptation to city life made him long for the countryside.
• The therapy focused on correcting behavioral maladaptations.
• Maladaptation can lead to reduced survival rates in wildlife populations.
• The student’s maladaptation to the new school environment affected her grades.
• Researchers studied the maladaptation of coral reefs to rising ocean temperatures.