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Definition of enoughnext
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enough

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adjective

enough

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noun

Synonym Chooser

How does the adjective enough contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enough are adequate, competent, and sufficient. While all these words mean "being what is necessary or desirable," enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient.

do you have enough food?

When would adequate be a good substitute for enough?

Although the words adequate and enough have much in common, adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement.

the service was adequate

When is it sensible to use competent instead of enough?

The words competent and enough can be used in similar contexts, but 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

When is sufficient a more appropriate choice than enough?

The synonyms sufficient and enough are sometimes interchangeable, but sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need.

sufficient savings

How does the adjective enough contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enough are adequate, competent, and sufficient. While all these words mean "being what is necessary or desirable," enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient.

do you have enough food?

When would adequate be a good substitute for enough?

Although the words adequate and enough have much in common, adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement.

the service was adequate

When is it sensible to use competent instead of enough?

The words competent and enough can be used in similar contexts, but 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

When is sufficient a more appropriate choice than enough?

The synonyms sufficient and enough are sometimes interchangeable, but sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need.

sufficient savings

How does the adjective enough contrast with its synonyms?

Some common synonyms of enough are adequate, competent, and sufficient. While all these words mean "being what is necessary or desirable," enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient.

do you have enough food?

When would adequate be a good substitute for enough?

Although the words adequate and enough have much in common, adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement.

the service was adequate

When is it sensible to use competent instead of enough?

The words competent and enough can be used in similar contexts, but 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

When is sufficient a more appropriate choice than enough?

The synonyms sufficient and enough are sometimes interchangeable, but sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need.

sufficient savings

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.
Recent Examples of enough
Adverb
The problem, according to meeting minutes, was that the application did not delve deep enough into how the building fit into the history of watchmaking or how the then innovative open-floor plan fit into broader architectural trends. Kenneth R. Gosselin, Hartford Courant, 29 Mar. 2026 Temperatures climb just enough for snow to lift and swirl. Laura Dannen Redman, Robb Report, 29 Mar. 2026
Adjective
That may not be enough, with the approach of peak summer energy demand — driven by travel, agriculture and freight needs — especially as emergency oil stockpiles run down, said Duttatreya Das of the think tank Ember. ABC News, 30 Mar. 2026 Rio Tinto’s $3 billion Jadar lithium project in Serbia was mothballed after permitting setbacks, raising questions about whether the EU badge is enough to override local politics and market cycles. Tiisetso Motsoeneng, semafor.com, 30 Mar. 2026
Noun
Sue Weston, the owner of Weston Gardens — adjacent to where the data center will be built — has spoken about her concerns that the developers are not doing enough to be transparent about the project’s footprint. Emily Holshouser, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 9 Mar. 2026 Lemon and broccoli combine to bring bright zest and deep green flavor to this easy-enough-for-a-weeknight white bean salad recipe. Kimberly Holland, Southern Living, 1 Mar. 2026 See All Example Sentences for enough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enough
Adverb
  • After a while, however, the matter density drops sufficiently that if there are any other components, their (more slowly-decreasing) effects will begin to appear.
    Big Think, Big Think, 27 Mar. 2026
  • As long as the threat remains sufficiently high, shipping companies are unlikely to take the risk of resuming transit.
    Annette Choi, CNN Money, 27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • For a boutique hotel, the prices are pretty reasonable (starting at $150).
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 25 Mar. 2026
  • And there’s a Roman finger-counting system, which continued to be pretty widely used through the Middle Ages in Europe, that could go up to 9,999 on two hands.
    John Pavlus, Quanta Magazine, 25 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • No restaurant does classic Roman quite like Piatto Romano, a cluttered trattoria smack dab in the middle of Testaccio.
    Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 31 Mar. 2026
  • At the start of the year, Jacob Elordi sat on the Jimmy Kimmel sofa to promote Wuthering Heights, wearing a pair of off-white Bottega Veneta loafers that were not quite ballet flats, but ascribed to this hybrid style (though many users compared them to ballet flats online).
    Jack Stanley, Vogue, 31 Mar. 2026
Adjective
  • But even if the Guardians and Brewers force a seventh game this October, the resulting jubilation in one of those markets may not be sufficient to sustain fan enthusiasm should neither club have an opportunity to suit up in 2027.
    Anthony Crupi, Sportico.com, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Given the spike in gasoline prices, ridership on public transportation is likely to rise so a modest increase in fares could be sufficient.
    Phillip Molnar, San Diego Union-Tribune, 27 Mar. 2026
Noun
  • To issue an Amber Alert, law enforcement must determine that specific statutory conditions are met, including the age of the child, law enforcement’s belief in imminent danger of serious injury or death, and the sufficiency of existing information to assist in recovery.
    Itay Ravid, The Conversation, 13 Mar. 2026
  • The sufficiency of disapproval to derail Trump’s primary immigration enforcement serves as further damning evidence against the companies and entities that so easily and so quickly capitulated to Trump last year.
    Chicago Tribune, Chicago Tribune, 10 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • An increasing number of voters feel that their needs and concerns are no longer adequately represented.
    Roger Sherman, Denver Post, 28 Mar. 2026
  • The complaint comes after two jury verdicts this week — both against Meta and one involving Google’s YouTube — concluded that the online platforms are failing to adequately police their sites for content that’s causing real-life harm.
    Jennifer Elias, CNBC, 27 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • Forming a company in Florida is fast, inexpensive and requires relatively little disclosure.
    Antonio María Delgado, Miami Herald, 27 Mar. 2026
  • Then, in a rare daylight attack, more than 550 drones were launched at targets throughout the country, including in the far western city of Lviv, which has experienced relatively few attacks since the 2022 invasion.
    Arkansas Online, Arkansas Online, 26 Mar. 2026
Adverb
  • When firefighters arrived, the back of the bus was fully engulfed in flames.
    CBS News, CBS News, 28 Mar. 2026
  • Toyota's decision to electrify the Highlander, but not the Grand Highlander, comes as environmental groups have criticized the world's largest automaker for being late to converting to producing fully electric vehicles.
    Keith Laing, USA Today, 28 Mar. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Enough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enough. Accessed 1 Apr. 2026.

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