malacostumbrar

Senses

1. 1.

   to accustom badly; to form bad habits in

   to cause someone to develop poor or harmful habits through repeated exposure

Examples

• "No debemos malacostumbrar a los niños con comida basura."

  We should not accustom children to junk food (by allowing bad eating habits).

• "Se malacostumbró a dormir muy tarde durante las vacaciones."

  He got into the bad habit of sleeping very late during vacation.

• "Temo que lo estés malacostumbrando con demasiados regalos."

  I'm afraid you're spoiling him by giving him too many gifts (forming bad habits).

Usage

A formal or literary verb formed with the prefix mal- (badly) + acostumbrar (to accustom). Often used reflexively (malacostumbrarse) or with a direct object. More common in Spain than in Latin America, though understood throughout the Spanish-speaking world.