as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
an inadequate amount of food on hand for so many unexpected guests
Synonyms & Similar Words
Relevance
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
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 inadequate
Based on a true story, Rosemead compassionately captures the various layers — from community rejection to inadequate state responses — that come with trying to find support.
—
Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025
On bile farms, bears have been fed cheap, non-nutritious foods like rice porridge and cereals, often in inadequate quantities, as hunger and dehydration prompt their bodies to produce more bile.
—Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
Any attempt made to categorise this unconventional cinematic experience seems inadequate.
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 3 June 2025
Last December, a tiff erupted between billionaire entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, on the one side, and MAGA champions including Steve Bannon, over the formers’ claims that H-1B workers are needed because the homegrown tech workforce is inadequate.
—Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inadequate
Lovia Gyarkye, HollywoodReporter, 6 June 2025
On bile farms, bears have been fed cheap, non-nutritious foods like rice porridge and cereals, often in inadequate quantities, as hunger and dehydration prompt their bodies to produce more bile.
—Ryley Graham, Smithsonian Magazine, 4 June 2025
Any attempt made to categorise this unconventional cinematic experience seems inadequate.
—Diana Lodderhose, Deadline, 3 June 2025
Last December, a tiff erupted between billionaire entrepreneurs Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy, on the one side, and MAGA champions including Steve Bannon, over the formers’ claims that H-1B workers are needed because the homegrown tech workforce is inadequate.
—Alec MacGillis, ProPublica, 3 June 2025
See All Example Sentences for inadequate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadequate
Adjective
-
That proposal was rejected due to insufficient funding.—
David A. Deptula,
Forbes.com,
12 June 2025
-
During that time, Israel allowed in a fluctuating, almost always insufficient number of aid trucks.—
Isaac Chotiner,
New Yorker,
11 June 2025
Adjective
-
High-Potential, Untapped Markets I’m inspired by what others ignore—those quiet gaps where attention is scarce but potential is high, like a niche market with growing demand but little innovation.—
Expert Panel®,
Forbes.com,
20 June 2025
-
Aside from mining for lunar water, these efforts might involve the extraction of an isotope called helium-3, which is scarce on Earth but is in relatively large abundance on the moon.—
Julian Dossett,
Space.com,
12 June 2025
Adjective
-
But the three-time Oscar winner makes the most out of every line reading, not by going big (a near impossibility in an Anderson movie) but by setting Felicity’s fears and annoyances to a very low simmer.—
Joe Reid,
Vulture,
12 June 2025
-
Steer clear of puddles - Driving into puddles or low areas of rainwater can cause vehicles to hydroplane or skid out of control.—
NC Weather Bot,
Charlotte Observer,
12 June 2025
Cite this Entry
“Inadequate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadequate. Accessed 27 Jun. 2025.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
Share