Definition of suffice
sufficed
;sufficing
intransitive verb
1 : to meet or satisfy a need : be sufficient a brief note will suffice —often used with an impersonal it suffice it to say that they are dedicated, serious personalities — Cheryl Aldridge
2 : to be competent or capable
transitive verb
: to be enough for a few more should suffice them
sufficer
nounExplore Merriam-Webster
Examples of suffice in a Sentence
She's also decided that she can't countenance her mother, who gives Jane cash but demands that her daughter save every receipt or package to prove that she didn't spend the money on drugs. Suffice it to say, their short-lived truce is over. —Alec Klein, A Class Apart: Prodigies, Pressure, and Passion Inside One of America's Best High Schools, 2007
Thirteen years later, I still don't know exactly what to make of this letter. It goes without saying that a simple thank-you note, especially nearly a year late, would have sufficed. —Scott Turow, Atlantic, December 2005
But what of the meteoroids that come from other large objects in the solar system? To escape from Venus or the Earth, matter must be ejected at a velocity of at least seven miles a second; on Mars, three miles a second will suffice. —Donald Goldsmith, Natural History, September 2003
No, you don't need to write a letter. A phone call will suffice.
Her example alone should suffice to show that anything is possible.
Recent Examples of suffice from the Web
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This is a safer place, a saner place, a place where surprise is welcome, disappointment is not distressing, where small joys suffice, a two-run inning is a celebration and a three-game winning streak is special.
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The Warriors were the ones forced after that season to plead for former-MVP Kevin Durant's services, knowing the status quo likely wouldn't suffice against a healthy James Gang.
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A quiet set of diplomatic missions would have sufficed.
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Describing the attackers in ordinary terms wouldn't suffice.
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Uber and Lyft have argued their background checks suffice and that fingerprint databases can be out of date.
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Also, while baby food consists of mainly fruits and vegetables, its small size likely will not suffice for an adult’s nutrient needs.
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Suffice it to say, there's a cosmic connection with an interplanetary entity.
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As much as any band, they were poorly served by the CD era, feeling obligated to stuff 75 minutes of music onto each album when 40 would have sufficed.
These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'suffice'. Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Origin and Etymology of suffice
Middle English, from Anglo-French suffis-, stem of suffire, from Latin sufficere to provide, be adequate, from sub- + facere to make, do — more at do
SUFFICE Defined for English Language Learners
suffice
playDefinition of suffice for English Language Learners
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: to be or provide as much as is needed : to be sufficient
SUFFICE Defined for Kids
suffice
playDefinition of suffice for Students
sufficed
;sufficing
: to satisfy a need : be enough I'm hungry, but just a snack will suffice.
Learn More about suffice
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See words that rhyme with suffice Thesaurus: All synonyms and antonyms for suffice Spanish Central: Translation of suffice Nglish: Translation of suffice for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of suffice for Arabic speakers
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