misalign

verb

mis·​align ˌmis-ə-ˈlīn 

misaligned; misaligning

transitive + intransitive

: to align badly or incorrectly

… the rear coach loosened an axle crossing a rough switch frog, misaligning the wheels so that they came off the track and bumped along the ties …

—Terry Pindell

Even minor movement can cause the cords in the wireless charger to misalign and the charging to stop.

—Rishabh Jain

misaligned

ˌmis-ə-ˈlīnd 

adjective

… the lack of stereopsis results from conflicting input reaching the brain from the two misaligned eyes …

—Susan R. Barry

Worn wheels, defective axles, … and misaligned rails, as well as human error, also cause derailments.

—Ralph Vartabedian

Examples of misalign in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

When the selling journey is misaligned with this complex decision-making process, opportunities are missed, and sales cycles are extended. —Toyna Chin, Forbes, 17 Sep. 2024

But expectations and reality have a funny way of misaligning in the NFL. —Dieter Kurtenbach, The Mercury News, 8 Sep. 2024

That kind of change, however well-intentioned, blunts the edge of an otherwise gripping thriller, and ultimately results in a deflating conclusion misaligned with our paranoia. —Lovia Gyarkye, The Hollywood Reporter, 3 Sep. 2019

This usually misaligns incentives away from our true effectiveness and enjoyment on the job. —Rodger Dean Duncan, Forbes, 4 Sep. 2024

Word History

First Known Use

1908, in the meaning defined above