maladjusted — having problems with adjusting to social situations or personal relationships
Part of speech: ADJECTIVE
Definition: having problems with adjusting to social situations or personal relationships
Pronunciation (IPA): /ˌmæləˈdʒʌstɪd/
Example Sentences
- After moving to five different schools, Jake became increasingly maladjusted and preferred staying home playing video games.
- The maladjusted cat refused to use the fancy new litter box and chose the houseplant instead.
- His maladjusted social skills made him tell everyone at the funeral how happy he was to be there.
maladjusted
ADJECTIVE[/ˌmæləˈdʒʌstɪd/]
having problems with adjusting to social situations or personal relationships
Unable to fit in socially
Once trusted, now busted and maladjusted
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🎤Pronunciation
🌳Etymology
Origin
Maladjusted is a modern English compound formed in the 1940s, combining the prefix mal- (meaning 'badly' or 'wrongly') with the verb adjust (from Latin adjustare, meaning 'to fit or adapt'). The word emerged in psychological and sociological contexts to describe individuals or groups failing to adapt properly to social or environmental conditions.
Breakdown
mal- (badly, wrongly) + adjust (to fit, adapt) + -ed (past participle/adjective suffix). The root adjust derives from Latin ad- (to) + justare (to join or fit).
🎵Rhyme
🔗Collocations
📝Examples
“After moving to five different schools, Jake became increasingly maladjusted and preferred staying home playing video games.”
“The maladjusted cat refused to use the fancy new litter box and chose the houseplant instead.”
“His maladjusted social skills made him tell everyone at the funeral how happy he was to be there.”
“The counselor worked with maladjusted students to help them develop better coping strategies.”
📚Related Words
Synonyms
Antonyms
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