as in poorly
in an unsatisfactory way
she did the job quickly, but inadequately
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 inadequately
Juries in the two trials determined that Meta inadequately policed its site, putting kids in harm’s way.
—
Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
Fueling your body inadequately will leave you feeling dissatisfied and undernourished.
—Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 27 Feb. 2026
Issues such as menopause and perimenopause, endometriosis and Alzheimer’s disease — conditions that exclusively or disproportionately affect women — remain inadequately studied.
—Michelle Kaufman, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
Scally had already struggled after dealing inadequately with a cross, which let the high-flying visitors score their first.
—Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
The attorney general's office also said, because the district did not show how the plaintiffs could only inadequately represent them, intervention of right was not an available option, and that intervention would unnecessarily prolong the case.
—Arkansas Online, 3 Jan. 2026
The titular role highlighted her distinctive looks and personality including long blonde hair and an attitude sometimes inadequately described as pouty.
—Indiewire Staff, IndieWire, 28 Dec. 2025
Ditto for if a person is inadequately dressed or exposed to wind that strips away the thin insulating layer of warm air near the skin.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
The restaurant was inadequately reheating foods inside the steam table, including black beans, tomato sauce and mashed potatoes.
—Sacbee.com, 14 Nov. 2025
Jonathan Vanian, CNBC, 29 Mar. 2026
Fueling your body inadequately will leave you feeling dissatisfied and undernourished.
—Jamie Johnson, Verywell Health, 27 Feb. 2026
Issues such as menopause and perimenopause, endometriosis and Alzheimer’s disease — conditions that exclusively or disproportionately affect women — remain inadequately studied.
—Michelle Kaufman, Baltimore Sun, 9 Feb. 2026
Scally had already struggled after dealing inadequately with a cross, which let the high-flying visitors score their first.
—Greg O'Keeffe, New York Times, 26 Jan. 2026
The attorney general's office also said, because the district did not show how the plaintiffs could only inadequately represent them, intervention of right was not an available option, and that intervention would unnecessarily prolong the case.
—Arkansas Online, 3 Jan. 2026
The titular role highlighted her distinctive looks and personality including long blonde hair and an attitude sometimes inadequately described as pouty.
—Indiewire Staff, IndieWire, 28 Dec. 2025
Ditto for if a person is inadequately dressed or exposed to wind that strips away the thin insulating layer of warm air near the skin.
—Daryl Austin, USA Today, 11 Dec. 2025
The restaurant was inadequately reheating foods inside the steam table, including black beans, tomato sauce and mashed potatoes.
—Sacbee.com, 14 Nov. 2025
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadequately
Adverb
-
The big-picture reality is that many novels are poorly written.—
Joshua Rothman,
New Yorker,
3 Apr. 2026
-
The Birdfy misses most often when a bird is too close to the camera, poorly lit, or facing away from the camera.—
Jim Fisher,
PC Magazine,
31 Mar. 2026
Adverb
-
Videos of the incident show the vehicle badly damaged and engulfed in flames.—
Emily St. Martin,
Los Angeles Times,
2 Apr. 2026
-
Trump has made the ballroom a priority of his second term, calling it a badly needed given the lack of large event space on the White House grounds.—
Ted Johnson,
Deadline,
2 Apr. 2026
Adverb
-
In one of them, a spot attacking Harman, Checchi included a photo of the lieutenant governor — and not a bad-looking one at that.—
Mark Z. Barabak,
Mercury News,
28 Mar. 2026
-
In one of them, a spot attacking Harman, Checchi included a photo of the lieutenant governor — and not a bad-looking one at that.—
Los Angeles Times,
Los Angeles Times,
25 Mar. 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inadequately.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadequately. Accessed 4 Apr. 2026.
Copy CitationLove words? Need even more definitions?
Merriam-Webster unabridged
