sufficient

Definition of sufficientnext

Synonym Chooser

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.

do you have enough food?

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 sufficient Her attorneys cite other instances in which previous courts have ordered preliminary distribution, even when pending disputes are ongoing, as long as sufficient assets remain available to accommodate those outstanding matters. — Claudia Rosenbaum, Vulture, 6 Nov. 2026 Democrats had hoped their historic victories would be sufficient to sour the president on Miller, a potential target of congressional investigation by the incoming majority of the House Oversight Committee. — Kevin Rector, Los Angeles Times, 6 Nov. 2026 Asyraf Wajid Dusuki, secretary-general of the United Malays National Organization, said in a statement that the party had collected sufficient funds through its donation drive for Najib. — ABC News, 6 Nov. 2026 Lucky Step Retro Gum-sole Sneakers Stockholm is full of old cobblestone streets that, while gorgeous, call for practical footwear with sufficient tread. — Abby Hepworth, Travel + Leisure, 5 Nov. 2026 See All Example Sentences for sufficient
Recent Examples of Synonyms for sufficient
Adjective
  • The financial complexity has increased, and adequate preparation needs to increase with it.
    — Adam Frank, Fortune, 8 Nov. 2026
  • Can the city budget really not pay for an adequate fire department?
    — Susan Shelley, Oc Register, 7 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • March 21 – April 19 Someone else’s disappointment could make a reasonable decision feel surprisingly difficult.
    — Tarot.com, The Orlando Sentinel, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Aries March 21 – April 19 Someone else’s disappointment could make a reasonable decision feel surprisingly difficult.
    — Tarot.com, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • Hiding economics in fiction was a way to make her academic interests socially acceptable.
    — Jeanna Smialek, Fortune, 6 Nov. 2026
  • Regardless, that’s not an acceptable answer in the long term.
    — Julia Poe, Chicago Tribune, 6 Nov. 2026
Adjective
  • Why not, then, return to 2016 spending amounts which seemed satisfactory at the time?
    — Letters to the Editor, The Orlando Sentinel, 28 Oct. 2026
  • Harriot quickly found a convenient formula for how many were arranged in a square pyramid based on the number in the bottom row and was able to present Raleigh with a satisfactory solution.
    — Manon Bischoff, Scientific American, 27 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • And yes, the notoriously frustrating Water Temple is much more tolerable this time around.
    — James Perkins Mastromarino, NPR, 4 Nov. 2026
  • Its shortcomings, including a lack of keyboard backlighting and an 8GB memory limit, are tolerable given the price.
    — Charles Jefferies, PC Magazine, 31 Oct. 2026
Adjective
  • Even the smallest Essential rooms are a decent size; some, such as Poolside, have a generous, curved balcony overlooking the action below.
    — Condé Nast, Condé Nast Traveler, 11 Nov. 2026
  • Much of that growth is expected to occur on the north, south and east sides of the city, where there’s still a decent amount of open space.
    — Matthew Adams, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 11 Nov. 2026

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Cite this Entry

“Sufficient.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/sufficient. Accessed 12 Nov. 2026.

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