How does the adjective sufficient contrast with its synonyms?
Some common synonyms of sufficient are adequate, competent, and enough. While all these words mean "being what is necessary or desirable," sufficient suggests a close meeting of a need.
sufficient savings
When might adequate be a better fit than sufficient?
The synonyms adequate and sufficient are sometimes interchangeable, but adequate may imply barely meeting a requirement.
the service was adequate
Where would competent be a reasonable alternative to sufficient?
Although the words competent and sufficient have much in common, 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
How are the words enough and sufficient related?
Enough is less exact in suggestion than sufficient.
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