maladapted

[mal-uh-dap-tid]

adjective

1. poorly suited or adapted to a particular condition or set of circumstances.

   maladapted to the demands of modern society.

Word History and Origins

Origin of maladapted¹

First recorded in 1940–45; mal- + adapted ( def. )

Example Sentences

"Mink are not just more susceptible to COVID-19 and bird flu H5N1 on a molecular level, they also get sick more than other animals because of their high density, high-stress farm environments to which they are genetically, behaviorally, and physiologically maladapted."

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His macho posturing is maladapted, only escalating Trina’s troubles and sending him back to his couch.

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Hot summer conditions are making some urban areas nearly unlivable, and experts are concerned that migration may be the only option in maladapted areas.

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That blithe attitude has been fundamental to many of Shannon’s best-known characters, like Mary Katherine Gallagher, the maladapted but plucky schoolgirl who was her signature role on “S.N.L.”

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Many appear maladapted to land: “There are those who would call our devotion to the pool excessive, if not pathological,” our narrators tell us.

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