What does maladjusted mean?
Maladjusted is an adjective describing someone or something that is not properly adapted to circumstances. It is most commonly used for people who have difficulty managing emotional, social, or behavioral demands, particularly in educational, psychological, or social-service settings. The word also has a broader meaning: a plan, system, or object may be maladjusted when it does not fit the conditions in which it is used. Its ordinary connotation is more negative and more clinical than that of awkward or unsuitable, suggesting a persistent difficulty rather than a minor mismatch. In careful writing, it is often preferable to identify the specific problem—emotional distress, social difficulty, or poor fit—rather than using the term as a broad label. Maladjusted contrasts with adjusted or well-adjusted.
adjectiveNot properly adjusted or adapted to circumstances, especially through emotional or behavioral difficulties. In psychology and education, it describes a person whose adjustment to social or personal demands is inadequate.
- Not properly adjusted or adapted to circumstances.
- Having difficulty adapting to social, emotional, or behavioral demands.
"The teacher worked with maladjusted students who had difficulty adjusting to the classroom environment."
"The maladjusted teenager struggled to manage the pressures of school life."
"The report described the building as maladjusted to the needs of its users."
Maladjusted is the word for a person or situation whose adjustment has gone badly wrong.
Reviewed by Deb Chak, Editor. AI-assisted content curated by RJS Tech Solutions LLP.
Where does maladjusted come from?
Maladjusted was formed in the 19th century by combining the prefix mal-, meaning bad or wrong, with adjusted. The base verb adjust comes through French from Latin ad-, meaning to, and iustus or justus, meaning right, just, or fitting. Its relatives include adjustment, adjustable, and adjuster, all developed from the same Latin root. The prefixed form preserves the older sense of failing to bring something into a proper or suitable condition.
Related word forms
How maladjusted is actually used
The term can sound clinical or judgmental when applied to people. In educational and psychological contexts, it is formal and may be replaced by more specific descriptions such as emotionally distressed, behaviorally challenging, or experiencing difficulty adjusting.
Easily confused with maladjusted
Maladjusted is a standard word meaning poorly adjusted or inadequately adapted, while maltadjusted is an uncommon or erroneous variant sometimes associated with the expression 'malt adjusted.'