as in lacking
not coming up to an expected measure or meeting a particular need
there's been an insufficient number of volunteers for the job, so I'll have to select someone
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Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of insufficient
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem said last week that Harvard’s responses to the government’s requests to provide information about misconduct by foreign students were insufficient.
—
Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 27 May 2025
Despite the growing scientific consensus and visible impacts, meaningful action remains insufficient.
—Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025
Manpower shortages, inadequate staff training and experience, a lack of supervision and insufficient head counts contributed to the escape last year, authorities said at the time.
—CBS News, 23 May 2025
There is insufficient scientific evidence to conclude that a black bear hunt is necessary to reduce their numbers to maintain a healthy population and protect their habitat.
—Grant Gelhardt, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for insufficient
Bloomberg News, Boston Herald, 27 May 2025
Despite the growing scientific consensus and visible impacts, meaningful action remains insufficient.
—Chicago Tribune, 23 May 2025
Manpower shortages, inadequate staff training and experience, a lack of supervision and insufficient head counts contributed to the escape last year, authorities said at the time.
—CBS News, 23 May 2025
There is insufficient scientific evidence to conclude that a black bear hunt is necessary to reduce their numbers to maintain a healthy population and protect their habitat.
—Grant Gelhardt, The Orlando Sentinel, 17 May 2025
See All Example Sentences for insufficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insufficient
Adjective
-
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
-
And for many, forgiveness might seem an inadequate response, given available options like anger, bitterness, hatred, revenge, retribution.—
Kevin Sack,
Time,
3 June 2025
Adjective
-
That's key in a country where good-paying jobs are scarce.—
Omkar Khandekar,
NPR,
8 June 2025
-
Yet with the old rail factory at Qadam station in disrepair, the know-how to forge, repair, and maintain Ottoman rail is scarce.—
Taylor Luck,
Christian Science Monitor,
6 June 2025
Adjective
-
Per Trump’s promise, the proposal leaves Title I (support for schools with low income students) and IDEA (funding for students with special needs) intact.—
Peter Greene,
Forbes.com,
31 May 2025
-
Even with the longstanding recommendations, vaccination rates were relatively low for children and pregnant women.—
Rong-Gong Lin II,
Los Angeles Times,
31 May 2025
Cite this Entry
“Insufficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insufficient. Accessed 12 Jun. 2025.
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