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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

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
There’s not enough pass rush, there’s still confusion on the back end and the tackling needs improvement. Jon MacHota, New York Times, 29 Sep. 2025 This pointed to suits and sartorial pieces with a little twist, expressed in tweaks in texture or proportion that were just enough to cast a new light on familiar wardrobe archetypes. Sandra Salibian, Footwear News, 29 Sep. 2025
Adjective
Additionally, only 33% of consumers feel that their bank does enough to support their financial needs. Forbes.com, 15 Sep. 2025 The actor wore the Pammy, with her brunette hair pinned up in a just-messy-enough textured pile, leaving her iconic curtain bangs (plus two textured tendrils, to frame) exposed. Grace McCarty, Glamour, 12 Sep. 2025
Noun
The part proved strong enough to launch HBO’s spin-off The Penguin, where Farrell got to dive deep into the character. Scott Roxborough, HollywoodReporter, 28 Sep. 2025 Conversion seems straightforward enough too. New Atlas, 28 Sep. 2025 See All Example Sentences for enough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enough
Adverb
  • Andrew originally had to step down as a senior working royal over his ties to Epstein and his failure to sufficiently distance himself from him.
    Lizzie Lanuza, StyleCaster, 29 Sep. 2025
  • An overstuffed tracklist and slightly sloppy sequencing prevent the record from fully realizing its potential, but over the course of an hour-plus, Cardi sufficiently reminds us why the crown was hers to return for in the first place.
    Kyle Denis, Billboard, 25 Sep. 2025
Adverb
  • The matches are pretty violent, with nasty punches to the face and vicious knees to the head.
    Brian Truitt, USA Today, 3 Oct. 2025
  • Everyone was pretty nervous, and there were a lot of things to care for and think about, but as time went by during the tour, everyone felt more at ease, and everyone seemed more relaxed.
    Crystal Bell, Rolling Stone, 3 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • For capybara lovers who may not be quite ready to own an exotic pet, the following are places to visit them in the commonwealth.
    Lillian Metzmeier, Louisville Courier Journal, 3 Oct. 2025
  • As the days grow shorter and darker, and temperatures drop, there’s nothing quite like knowing there’s a warm, welcoming bed awaiting you at home to usher in a cozy night’s sleep, and long, languorous mornings when time allows.
    Hannah Coates, Vogue, 2 Oct. 2025
Adjective
  • While judges can toll statutes of limitations, in effect suspending the statute to allow litigation, none in the Bailey, Chalmers, Pryor and Robinson cases found sufficient reason to do so.
    Michael McCann, Sportico.com, 29 Sep. 2025
  • Promoter reserves the right not to provide any awards (or fewer than the quantity of awards identified above) if, in its sole discretion, there are not a sufficient number of eligible and qualified Submissions received.
    Time, Time, 29 Sep. 2025
Noun
  • To determine the sufficiency of the evidence, the appellate judges identified the reasonable inferences that could be drawn from the circumstances proved.
    Nick Ferraro, Twin Cities, 19 Aug. 2025
  • Tsangari doles out information cagily, turning over narrative cards with calculated delay, a bare sufficiency that undercuts her world-building in favor of point-making; the just-enough story is also a just-so story.
    Richard Brody, New Yorker, 8 Aug. 2025
Adverb
  • The auditors also say that Elevate hasn’t adequately tracked the returns from their investments – though in response to this audit, Elevate has nearly completed a project reconciling all these returns.
    Kayla Dwyer, IndyStar, 2 Oct. 2025
  • Perfetti fills Ehlers’ void adequately and the Jets win the Central, this time parlaying it into a deep playoff run.
    The Athletic NHL, New York Times, 1 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • After Hurricanes Humberto and Imelda dissipated in the Atlantic, forecasters are watching the tropics for any sign of a storm stirring up that might impact the United States, but things are relatively quiet at the moment.
    Jeanine Santucci, USA Today, 4 Oct. 2025
  • The menu is incredibly gluten-free friendly and relatively inexpensive—expect to pay between 6 and 9 pounds sterling for a sandwich—and there’s both indoor and outdoor seating available.
    Lydia Mansel, Travel + Leisure, 4 Oct. 2025
Adverb
  • If the plates aren’t fully clean, repeat as needed.
    Cody Godwin, USA Today, 5 Oct. 2025
  • The story of a Louisville man charged in connection to the murder of his fiancée had not fully unraveled when he was acquitted in 1991.
    Leo Bertucci, Louisville Courier Journal, 4 Oct. 2025

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Cite this Entry

“Enough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enough. Accessed 6 Oct. 2025.

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