Meaning & use

maladjusted

adjective·Advanced

Unable to adapt well to one's environment or social situation, often showing emotional or behavioral difficulties.

See it in a sentence

The counselor worked with maladjusted teens struggling to fit in at their new school.

Years of neglect had left the child anxious and maladjusted.

A note on using this word

Maladjusted is typically used in psychological or social contexts and can sound clinical, so use it carefully.

Words with a similar meaning

unadjusted

Choose a synonym to suit the sentence. Meanings can overlap without being identical.

Words with an opposite meaning

well-adjusted

Make it your own

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