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
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of inadequate
Pregnant detainees routinely face inconsistent or inadequate care in custody.
—
Jallicia Jolly, The Conversation, 15 June 2026
The symptom overlap with anxiety, depression and thyroid disorders is substantial, and clinicians often receive inadequate training on the perimenopause transition, per the same preprint.
—Allison Palmer
updated June 13, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026
The hunger and economic strike began May 19, including at the Desert View Annex, a wing of the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, where detainees alleged subpar conditions and inadequate medical care.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
In a December report, the human rights organization Amnesty International accused the state and federal governments of providing inadequate medical care at the Everglades detention center.
—Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for inadequate
Jallicia Jolly, The Conversation, 15 June 2026
The symptom overlap with anxiety, depression and thyroid disorders is substantial, and clinicians often receive inadequate training on the perimenopause transition, per the same preprint.
—Allison Palmer
updated June 13, Charlotte Observer, 13 June 2026
The hunger and economic strike began May 19, including at the Desert View Annex, a wing of the Adelanto ICE Processing Center, where detainees alleged subpar conditions and inadequate medical care.
—Ruben Vives, Los Angeles Times, 11 June 2026
In a December report, the human rights organization Amnesty International accused the state and federal governments of providing inadequate medical care at the Everglades detention center.
—Miami Herald, 11 June 2026
See All Example Sentences for inadequate
Recent Examples of Synonyms for inadequate
Adjective
-
Of those lacking space, dozens of schools have a solution in place — such as an annex that’s already planned, a capital project that’s already sited, or excess space in a building with several schools that can be reallocated — according to the plan.—
Cayla Bamberger,
New York Daily News,
11 June 2026
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Coaches and teammates have struggled to remain in contact with him, and AIyuk’s rare social media posts have been both cryptic and lacking clues about his football ambitions.—
Caelyn Pender,
Mercury News,
3 June 2026
Adjective
-
Diving a little deeper, men outpace women, and insufficient sleep is particularly prevalent among older adults aged 45 to 64.—
Sharon Brandwein,
USA Today,
19 June 2026
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For instance, a patient may arrive at the hospital only to find insufficient physician coverage.—
Jocelyn Mitchell-Williams,
STAT,
19 June 2026
Adjective
-
And resources will only get more scarce as pressure builds to cut costs and benefits in a tight job market.—
Jessica Guynn,
USA Today,
14 June 2026
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Japan's school lunch program was actually started after World War II, when the country was shattered and food was scarce.—
Adam Yamaguchi,
CBS News,
14 June 2026
Adjective
-
When camping in an open environment, select a campsite in a valley, ravine, or low region.—
CA Weather Bot,
Sacbee.com,
19 June 2026
-
The proposal was designed to help stabilize the state budget and eliminate a structural deficit through July 2028, while also protecting smaller businesses with lower tax liability.—
Gene Maddaus,
Variety,
19 June 2026
Cite this Entry
“Inadequate.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/inadequate. Accessed 20 Jun. 2026.
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