maladaptive
Example Sentences
Examples are provided to illustrate real-world usage of words in context. Any opinions expressed do not reflect the views of Dictionary.com.
By clinical standards, polarization shares many markers with recognized disorders: social isolation, chronic stress, heightened anxiety and maladaptive coping.
From The Wall Street Journal • Oct. 19, 2025
With chronic loneliness, that stress response gets stuck and becomes disadvantageous — similar to the way in which anxiety can shift a helpful fear response to a maladaptive mental illness.
From Seattle Times • May 10, 2024
Indeed, stepdads went on to have as many chicks as did the killers over the birds’ lifetimes—upending the established idea that adoption is maladaptive and hinders a stepparent’s reproductive success.
From Science Magazine • May 5, 2024
Manly warned it can lead to maladaptive daydreaming, which is when a person excessively daydreams for hours at a time.
From Salon • Feb. 19, 2024
"People often prefer to use positive emotions as tools more than negative and tend to see negative emotions as undesirable and maladaptive," she said.
From Science Daily • Oct. 30, 2023
