adequacy
noun
ad·e·qua·cy
ˈa-di-kwə-sē 
plural adequacies
: the quality or state of being adequate
Did you know?
When we question the adequacy of health-care coverage, or parking facilities, or school funding, we're asking if they are equal to our need. The adjective adequate means "enough" or "acceptable"—though in sentences like "His performance was adequate", it really means "no better than acceptable".
Examples of adequacy in a Sentence
the fire department sent someone to determine the adequacy of the building's evacuation plan
Recent Examples on the Web
According to Gartner, 70% of enterprise workloads will run on cloud infrastructures by 2028, yet many IT leaders are only concerned about the adequacy of their existing security strategies.
—
Chris McHenry, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
The high cost of electricity, the reliability of its generation and delivery, the adequacy of supply and the oversight by state regulators all have been elements of legislative and administration efforts toward reforms since 2020.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2025
According to the Star-Telegram, the consultant’s report provides details on each school being considered for closure, including its age, enrollment figures, capacity utilization rate, and educational adequacy score.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 16 May 2025
The filing also discusses the company's risk management strategies, including its focus on maintaining liquidity and capital adequacy.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adequacy
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Chris McHenry, Forbes.com, 7 Aug. 2025
The high cost of electricity, the reliability of its generation and delivery, the adequacy of supply and the oversight by state regulators all have been elements of legislative and administration efforts toward reforms since 2020.
—Mark Pazniokas, Hartford Courant, 26 July 2025
According to the Star-Telegram, the consultant’s report provides details on each school being considered for closure, including its age, enrollment figures, capacity utilization rate, and educational adequacy score.
—Marley Malenfant, Austin American Statesman, 16 May 2025
The filing also discusses the company's risk management strategies, including its focus on maintaining liquidity and capital adequacy.
—Quartz Intelligence Newsroom, Quartz, 6 Feb. 2025
See All Example Sentences for adequacy
Cite this Entry
“Adequacy.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/adequacy. Accessed 21 Aug. 2025.
Copy CitationKids Definition
adequacy
noun
ad·e·qua·cy
ˈad-i-kwə-sē
plural adequacies
: the quality or state of being adequate
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