1. incorrect positioning or arrangement of parts that should be properly aligned
Usage: technical; often used in mechanical or structural contexts
2. lack of agreement or coordination between different elements, groups, or systems
Usage: business; organizational contexts

Examples

• The car’s steering problems were caused by wheel misalignments.
• Structural misalignments in the building required immediate repair.
• The project failed due to misalignments between the marketing and development teams.
• Budget misalignments led to significant cost overruns.
• The dentist corrected the misalignments in her teeth with braces.
• Strategic misalignments between departments hurt overall productivity.
• The telescope’s misalignments affected the quality of observations.