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
Starmer was at the center of that vibe and yet insufficient to explain it.
—
Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Both have received insufficient attention over the past several decades, and the federal government is all but shutting them both down.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Past studies have amounted to an inconsistent body of evidence and have been limited by small sample sizes and insufficient measurement of confounders, Chang said.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
What has kept dengue from establishing is that conditions have been just barely insufficient to sustain local chains.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for insufficient
Sam Knight, New Yorker, 14 May 2026
Both have received insufficient attention over the past several decades, and the federal government is all but shutting them both down.
—Eleanor Dearman, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026
Past studies have amounted to an inconsistent body of evidence and have been limited by small sample sizes and insufficient measurement of confounders, Chang said.
—Kristen Rogers, CNN Money, 14 May 2026
What has kept dengue from establishing is that conditions have been just barely insufficient to sustain local chains.
—John Drake, Forbes.com, 14 May 2026
See All Example Sentences for insufficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for insufficient
Adjective
-
Not just any type of bus, but a marshrutka—a crowded, rumbling, claustrophobic Soviet holdover minibus, solidly built with steel girding and equally lacking in shock absorbers and seat padding.—
Irene Zabytko
May 7,
Literary Hub,
7 May 2026
-
So many young players come up the ranks lacking game management.—
Pierre LeBrun,
New York Times,
7 May 2026
Adjective
-
The children were processed in tents before being taken to emergency shelters run by the Department of Health and Human Services, some of which were criticized by child welfare advocates as having inadequate conditions.—
ABC News,
ABC News,
14 May 2026
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In a separate study, Perez recently found that evidence showing that depression scales hold steady across other features, such as gender and culture, is inadequate.—
Simon Makin,
Scientific American,
14 May 2026
Adjective
-
What Foods Nesting Birds Need in Spring Black oil sunflower seed, safflower seed, cracked corn, and wild bird seed mixes are commonly placed in backyard bird feeders to feed birds in winter when other food sources are scarce.—
Lauren Landers,
Better Homes & Gardens,
17 May 2026
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Most easily accessible by shelling tours or boat tours, Ten Thousand Islands is a good place to find the scarce Junonia shell, known as the Jewel of Florida, along with whole sand dollars, Florida spiny jewel boxes, and lightning whelks.—
Gabi De la Rosa,
Southern Living,
17 May 2026
Adjective
-
This is especially important for low-income communities and others who rely heavily on the shot for contraception.—
Voice of the People,
New York Daily News,
15 May 2026
-
Not since Oakland Hills in 2008 — Jeev Milkha Singh and Robert Karlsson at 2-under 68 — has the low score to par after the first round of the PGA Championship been worse than 3 under.—
Doug Ferguson,
Chicago Tribune,
15 May 2026
Cite this Entry
“Insufficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/insufficient. Accessed 20 May. 2026.
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