enough 1 of 3

Definition of enoughnext
1
2
3

enough

2 of 3

adjective

enough

3 of 3

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
Nearby Honeymoon Island and Caladesi Island State Park (accessible by bridge and boat, respectively) offer the feel of being miles away from civilization while still being close enough to grab dinner out in Dunedin. Tara Massouleh McCay, Southern Living, 21 June 2026 For those old enough to do so, think back to the nation’s bicentennial in 1976. The Editorial Board, Chicago Tribune, 21 June 2026
Adjective
Without enough fluids, adding more fiber can actually make constipation worse. Morgan Pearson, Verywell Health, 22 June 2026 These elections can be enacted if enough members of a party lodge votes of no confidence in the leader. Max Goldbart, Deadline, 22 June 2026
Noun
She also was offered France's highest award, the Legion of Honor, that same year but declined it, arguing France was not doing enough to support Iranian people fighting for democracy. ABC News, 4 June 2026 Despite the consensus, the government is not doing enough to rein in the food industry that produces these products, according to top researchers. Theresa Gaffney, STAT, 3 June 2026 See All Example Sentences for enough
Recent Examples of Synonyms for enough
Adverb
  • But until storage, grid flexibility, and firm low-carbon capacity scale sufficiently to cover peak demand and periods of low wind or hydro output, coal will continue to serve as the system’s fallback.
    Gaurav Sharma, Forbes.com, 19 June 2026
  • The state does not sufficiently fund services for people who become addicted to gambling via the sports-betting apps on their phones, mental health experts say, and there are not enough therapists trained to treat gambling addiction.
    Noelle Phillips, Denver Post, 18 June 2026
Adverb
  • My audience can smell something disingenuous pretty quick.
    Holly Gleason, Los Angeles Times, 18 June 2026
  • Everyone looks pretty baffled at what Mwepu Ilunga has done, not least his team-mates.
    Nick Miller, New York Times, 17 June 2026
Adverb
  • Ament didn’t quite reach his offensive potential at Tennessee, but this is not dissimilar to the gamble the Bucks once took on a young Antetokounmpo.
    Rohan Nadkarni, NBC news, 24 June 2026
  • But the Clippers have shaken up their team quite a bit in the last few months and are a team worth watching this week.
    Tony East, Forbes.com, 24 June 2026
Adjective
  • The group issued a point-by-point analysis of the memorandum, criticizing it for potentially freeing up tens of billions of dollars for Iran without putting sufficient safeguards to ensure the country won’t use the money to fund operations against the United States.
    Joey Garrison, USA Today, 19 June 2026
  • After sufficient brewing time, pour the tea into the pitcher through a fine mesh filter or sieve to remove the loose leaves or take out and throw out the whole tea bags.
    BestReviews, Mercury News, 19 June 2026
Noun
  • What’s worrying to him is that abundance can masquerade as sufficiency.
    Nick Lichtenberg, Fortune, 9 June 2026
  • Some have raised concerns about the cleanup’s sufficiency.
    Michelle de la Uz, New York Daily News, 13 May 2026
Adverb
  • The second conclusion from the report stated that the camp was not adequately prepared for last year's storm, even though the National Weather Service had earlier issued severe weather alerts before July 4, 2025.
    David Chiu, PEOPLE, 20 June 2026
  • Property owners say the city has failed to adequately provide services to keep the area clean and their employees safe.
    Alejandra Molina, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
Adverb
  • Captain Edson Álvarez helped turn away South Korea’s attack late, holding up relatively well despite having left ankle surgery during the past year.
    Eduard Cauich, Los Angeles Times, 19 June 2026
  • Because this research was conducted on mice over a relatively short 16-week period, further clinical trials are necessary to determine whether a completely sugar-free diet causes the same gut and liver inflammation in humans.
    Khloe Quill, FOXNews.com, 18 June 2026
Adverb
  • In an unusual twist, many of the songs that would eventually appear throughout the season were written before the writers’ room fully mapped out the story.
    Precious Fondren, Los Angeles Times, 20 June 2026
  • Under the partnership, Destinus will provide the missiles’ core technology while Rheinmetall will supply warheads and booster rocket motors, creating what the companies describe as a fully European deep-strike missile portfolio.
    Neetika Walter, Interesting Engineering, 19 June 2026

Browse Nearby Words

Cite this Entry

“Enough.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/enough. Accessed 25 Jun. 2026.

More from Merriam-Webster on enough

Love words? Need even more definitions?

Subscribe to America's largest dictionary and get thousands more definitions and advanced search—ad free!

More from Merriam-Webster