suffice

verb

suf·​fice sə-ˈfīs How to pronounce suffice (audio)
 also  -ˈfīz
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 personalitiesCheryl Aldridge
2
: to be competent or capable

transitive verb

: to be enough for
a few more should suffice them
sufficer noun

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 on the Web Even American founding father Benjamin Franklin predicted that four hours of work a day would eventually suffice. María Luisa Paúl, Washington Post, 19 Mar. 2024 This will change market-by-market but, suffice to say, Green Chartreuse is inimitable. Jason O'Bryan, Robb Report, 16 Mar. 2024 See all Example Sentences for suffice 

These examples are programmatically compiled from various online sources to illustrate current usage of the word 'suffice.' Any opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback about these examples.

Word History

Etymology

Middle English suffisen, sufficen "to be adequate, be capable," borrowed from Anglo-French suffis-, stem of suffire "to be sufficient for, be adequate," Latinization of Old French sofire, soufire, going back to Vulgar Latin *suffīcere, alteration (with ī from verbs such as dīcere "to say") of Latin sufficere "to provide, appoint, have enough strength or capacity, be adequate," from suf-, assimilated form of sub- sub- + facere "to make, do" — more at fact

First Known Use

14th century, in the meaning defined at intransitive sense 1

Time Traveler
The first known use of suffice was in the 14th century

Dictionary Entries Near suffice

Cite this Entry

“Suffice.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/suffice. Accessed 28 Mar. 2024.

Kids Definition

suffice

verb
suf·​fice sə-ˈfīs How to pronounce suffice (audio)
sufficed; sufficing
1
: to meet or satisfy a need : be sufficient
a brief note will suffice
2
: to be competent or capable
3
: to be enough for

More from Merriam-Webster on suffice

Last Updated: - Updated example sentences
Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!