Definition

Not well suited for a specific purpose or situation, often leading to problems or difficulties.

Example

The species became maladapted to the changing environment, struggling to survive.

Conversation

I was reading about animals and found out some species are maladapted to their environments.

That's interesting! Can you believe how some can't survive climate change?

Exactly! It's sad to see how maladapted they are to new conditions.

Yeah, it really shows how delicate the balance of nature is.

Synonyms & Antonyms

Root Explanation

Maladapted → It is formed from "mal-" (meaning bad or ill) and "adapted" (from the Latin "adaptare", meaning to fit or adjust). The word "maladapted" means poorly fitted or adjusted to a particular environment or situation.

Memory Tip

Think of 'mal-' meaning bad, and 'adapted' meaning fitted — so 'maladapted' refers to something that is poorly fitted to its surroundings.

Visually Confused Words