sufficient

adjective suf·fi·cient \ sə-ˈfi-shənt \

Updated on: 16 May 2018

Definition of sufficient

1 a : enough to meet the needs of a situation or a proposed end

sufficient provisions for a month

b : being a sufficient condition

2 archaic : qualified, competent

—

sufficiently

adverb

See sufficient defined for English-language learners

See sufficient defined for kids

Examples of sufficient in a Sentence

Considering that John Adams was notoriously insecure about his own place in history, he surely would have enjoyed his current renown. He and Abigail get pride of place in the family crypt, down a winding staircase in the church basement. On her plaque in the crypt, she is described as a "model of domestic worth," as though she were a particularly charming chifforobe, and not a woman who survived a troubled marriage with sufficient courage that both houses of Congress adjourned upon hearing of her death. —Charles P. Pierce, Boston Globe Magazine, 26 July 2009
Because canines are, for the most part, unable to naturally manufacture sufficient vitamins to meet their daily requirements, a dog's routinely consumed meals, with some exceptions, must be augmented with them during the manufacturing process. —Tom Ewing, Dog Watch, February 2009
And since this policy is usually accompanied by a pledge to provide sufficient scholarship funds to admitted applicants who cannot afford the full cost (around $45,000 in the Ivy League today), it is an expensive policy. —Andrew Delbanco, New York Review of Books, 29 Mar. 2007
The result was a magnificent example of evidence overkill—the first set of prints alone was sufficient to match the gangbanger to a set in the national Automated Fingerprint Identification System database. —Jessica Snyder Sachs, Popular Science, March 2004
A brisk walk is sufficient to raise your heart rate.
There must be sufficient funds in your bank account to cover the check.
Her explanation was not sufficient to satisfy the police.

Recent Examples of sufficient from the Web

Wolf biologists and advocates argue that wolf recovery should include more area in the U.S. because Mexico lacks sufficient suitable habitat.

— alex devoid, azcentral, "Can Mexican gray wolves survive in Mexico? Ranchers, advocates square off in familiar debate," 13 May 2018
Actually, his first inning of relief was no problem – three up and three down, all via strikeout, using a sufficient amount of gas along with a biting slider.

— marc narducci, Philly.com, "St. Augustine's Jack Billings adjusts to whatever role he's asked to play," 12 May 2018
Wentz said the board made the decision because low enrollment numbers for the 2018-2019 school year were not sufficient to keep the school operating.

— rachel dissell, cleveland.com, "Montessori High School at University Circle slated to close," 10 May 2018
The key to victory in PA-10, Ding says, will be gaining sufficient name recognition in a four-way race of political novices.

— jeffrey mervis, Science | AAAS, "Public health scientist hopes to take his activism to Congress," 9 May 2018
If a leak was caused by trauma or surgery, patching the hole is usually sufficient, says Dr. Patel.

— amanda macmillan, Health.com, "This Woman's Runny Nose Turned Out to Be Fluid Leaking From Her Brain," 8 May 2018
She and Paris’s father had sufficient resources from their families to get by.

— edwidge danticat, The New Yorker, "Without Inspection," 7 May 2018
The Raptors, thus far, haven't managed a sufficient challenge on either front.

— rob mahoney, SI.com, "The Long Shadow of LeBron Hangs Over Another Raptors Season," 7 May 2018
But sequence is not sufficient to create narrative, and many Stories feel like random collections of unrelated materials.

— ian bogost, The Atlantic, "'Stories’ Are for Smartphones," 3 May 2018

These example sentences are selected automatically from various online news sources to reflect current usage of the word 'sufficient.' Views expressed in the examples do not represent the opinion of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Origin and Etymology of sufficient

Middle English, from Latin sufficient-, sufficiens, from present participle of sufficere — see suffice

NEW! Time Traveler

First Known Use: 14th century

in the meaning defined at sense 1a

See Words from the same year

Synonym Discussion of sufficient

sufficient, enough, adequate, competent mean being what is necessary or desirable. sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need.

- sufficient savings

enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient.

- do you have enough food?

adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement.

- the service was adequate

competent suggests measuring up to all requirements without question or being adequately adapted to an end.

- had no competent notion of what was going on

SUFFICIENT Defined for English Language Learners

sufficient

adjective

Definition of sufficient for English Language Learners

: having or providing as much as is needed

SUFFICIENT Defined for Kids

sufficient

adjective suf·fi·cient \ sə-ˈfi-shənt \

Definition of sufficient for Students

: enough to achieve a goal or fill a need

sufficient evidence

—

sufficiently

adverb

Law Dictionary

sufficient

adjective suf·fi·cient

legal Definition of sufficient

: enough to meet the needs under the law of a situation or a proposed end

—

sufficiently

adverb

Learn More about sufficient

See words that rhyme with sufficient Spanish Central: Translation of sufficient Nglish: Translation of sufficient for Spanish speakers Britannica English: Translation of sufficient for Arabic speakers

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sufficient

Definition of sufficient

sufficiently

Examples of sufficient in a Sentence

Recent Examples of sufficient from the Web

Origin and Etymology of sufficient

Synonym Discussion of sufficient

SUFFICIENT Defined for English Language Learners

sufficient

Definition of sufficient for English Language Learners

SUFFICIENT Defined for Kids

sufficient

Definition of sufficient for Students

sufficiently

Law Dictionary

sufficient

legal Definition of sufficient

sufficiently

Learn More about sufficient

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